The Bounty
by dreamsinwords001
Summary: The straw hat pirates find themselves facing a new threat as they travel through the Grand Line. The world government is taking a new approach to bringing down Luffy's crew, and it involves their talented navigator.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece; it belongs to Oda.

Also - I am relatively new to One Piece, so if I have some information wrong, please do tell me.

Chapter 1

The ship bobbed gently with the rise and fall of the waves as the mid-morning sun warmed its coarse wooden deck. The rocking motion was punctuated by cool gusts of air that caused the ship's sails to flutter and the taught ropes to hum. Blending seamlessly with the natural noise of the ship were the sounds of the crew. The telltale rattle of pots and pans arose from the kitchen, there was distant hammering coming from the far side of the deck, and the twang of tuning strings could be heard quite near. Layered through the inane sounds were their voices, which ranged from contented murmurs to the jubilant and unconstrained shouts and laughter of their captain.

Zoro sighed and slouched further into repose. He didn't need to open his eyes to be able to guess what most of his nakama were currently doing. Based on the shouting, Luffy was probably engaged in some energetic game. Zoro paused to listen. There were additional shouts. Usopp and Chopper had likely joined him. The twanging strings were clearly Brook tuning his violin. The even hammering still sounded from the other side of the ship. That was likely Franky working on a new project. The banging pots and pans meant the shitty love cook was starting lunch early. And he guessed that Robin and Nami were occupying the lawn chairs on the deck.

The various noises started to fade as the ship's rocking and the warm sun began to lull him to sleep. His muscles had just begun to relax when a shrill shriek pierced the quiet morning. Zoro's eyes snapped open. He sat up, instinctively scanning the deck for trouble. He stood and saw that Robin and Nami had indeed been sitting in the lawn chairs as he had predicted. Though now one of the women was standing; holding a crumpled paper in her shaking hands.

There was a bang as the kitchen door was thrown open. "Nami-swan!" In one leap the cook had crossed the deck and was standing with his fist raised in front of the pale navigator. "Who has hurt you? Tell me! I will beat the shit out of them." He glared around the deck, looking for the navigator's mystery assailant.

Zoro rolled his eyes at the cooks' ridiculous antics. They were overly dramatic and never helped to solve anything. "Oi! Love cook! Shut the hell up!" Zoro could feel Sanji's scowl as he stepped forward and tugged the paper from Nami's grasp. The second the paper was taken she dropped heavily back onto her chair and let her head fall into her unoccupied hands.

Zoro looked at the picture of the young, orange-haired woman glancing mischievously over her shoulder. That wasn't new. It was the same picture displayed on all of Nami's wanted posters. His gaze traveled lower. He could feel his eyes widen as he read over the number printed in bold letters. He read it a second time. And then a third. He racked his memory for what their navigator could have possibly done to elicit such a bounty. A bounty increase from 16,000,000 beli to 150,000,000 beli was unheard of. Her bounty now exceeded his very own. Zoro frowned, more than a little miffed that someone with so little combat skills could have a bounty that was greater than his. There had to be a mistake.

He looked up to see that the rest of the crew had joined them on deck, likely curious about Nami's outburst. Zoro wordlessly passed the wanted poster on to the rest of the crew. Nami's head was still cradled limply in her hands.

"Woah! Nami! Good job!" Their captain laughed. "You're beating Zoro now!"

Zoro scowled, an angry retort on his lips. But Nami beat him to it. Upon hearing Luffy's excited praise the navigator flew from her seat and proceeded to pound her fist down on the clueless captain's head.

"Good job? Good job?! They're going to kill me! I'm dead!"

"Ow! Nami! Nami!" Their captain's cries fell on deaf ears.

Nami gave Luffy's head one final pound before she fell back onto the chair and resumed her despondent pose.

Robin looked up from her book. Her level voice distracted Luffy from rubbing the rapidly rising welts on his head. "It is concerning that our navigator's sudden increase in bounty would seem to be unfounded. I'd surmise this means the marines are getting smarter."

Zoro crossed his arms and looked from Robin to the depressed navigator. "What do you mean?"

Robin closed her thick tome and set it to the side. "Besides the loss of its captain, what would be the next best way to cripple a ship?"

Usopp gasped which Robin acknowledged with grim stare. "So.. so.. they are trying to take out Nami?"

Robin's gaze shifted to Nami. "You could say they effectively put a hit out on our navigator."

Gasps arose from the surrounding crew mates and Zoro found that his hand had fallen habitually to the hilts of his katanas. He scowled and forced his arms back into a crossed position across his chest. His crew faced no immediate danger. Though images of skilled bounty hunters lured by such a bounty played across his vision. He tensed and made a conscious effort to keep his arms crossed and away from his swords.

Robin continued, "Our Nami is known for her skill as a navigator, and not for her talent in combat. Unfortunately, I'm afraid that this is a fact known by many. This would mean that a great many bounty hunters may be enticed by the idea of a relatively easy mission from which they could reap a vast award."

Then it was exactly as he had feared. A low growl drew his attention.

Luffy's hat was pulled low and his eyes were hidden in shadow. His lips curved down in an angry scowl. "They think they can put out a bounty on our navigator and they will get her just like that?" Luffy's voice was low and had lost all traces of playfulness. "They will have to go through all of her nakama first!" Luffy's voice had steadily risen, and the last statement came out as a fuming shout.

Usopp raised his fist, "Have no fear Nami! The Great Usopp won't let a few measly bounty hunters get you!"

Sanji lit a cigarette. "We won't let them near you Nami-san."

Franky pitched in, "Yeah, don't you worry. Everything will be SUPER!"

Zoro nodded. If the government thought that their tactic of raising the bounty of one of their weaker crew members could possibly work, they were in for a surprise. His lips spread in a feral grin as he imagined the short work he and his katanas would make of any bounty hunters that dare approach them.

Nami's head rose from her hands. There were unshed tears in her eyes. "You guys…" Her lips quivered. Chopper jumped onto the chair and began rubbing soothing circles on her back. A tear made a sliding track down her cheek. "Thank you!"

She rubbed the back of her hand across her face, removing the wayward tear, clearly attempting composure.

"We will need to be careful though." Robin leaned back into her chair and set the book back on her lap. "This kind of a bounty will attract many. And they will be strong."

Heads nodded in agreement.

Nami shook her head as if to clear it and stood. She put her hands on her hips and adopted a sly grin. "And besides – if you guys let even one bounty hunter near me, I will raise your debt tenfold!" She winked and left her stunned crewmates, soon disappearing into her room.

Zoro sighed and turned away as the rest of the crew began to disperse. Nami was definitely more upset that she let on. Her threat to increase their bounties was halfhearted and weakly made. It was likely no more than an attempt to return to normalcy after the morning's startling revelation.

Zoro began the climb up to the crow's nest. If they were going to be facing any number of skilled bounty hunters, he would need to work out even harder to make sure he was prepared. Zoro gave the door to the women's quarters one last wary look before pulling himself into the nest.

Thank you for reading the first chapter! Any and all comments and reviews are helpful.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, it belongs to Oda.

Also - Thank you for the reviews so far. I appreciate them :)

Chapter 2

The pen moved across the yellow paper, tracing delicate lines in quick, precise strokes. With a flick of her wrist she drew an arching line. Her hand moved automatically to shade in the surrounding topography, and the arch soon resembled the bay from the last island they had encountered. As she leaned closer to correct a stray mark, images from their adventures in the bay danced in her memory.

With a few more strokes she drew hills. The warm afternoon sun had shone on the small town upon their arrival. It illuminated the whitewashed walls of the houses that encircled the bay and climbed the surrounding hills. She added a sharp line at the edge of the bay. Cliffs. She had squeezed her hand around the cool metal of her clima-tact as she watched Luffy and Zoro face off against their gargantuan opponent at the edge of the cliff. The man they fought had been the town's corrupt mayor. Of course, within minutes the large man had been sent careening through the air, away from the island all together.

The map maker's lips twitched as she began to etch small circles in the bay. She had pulled herself up onto the large rock that jutted out of the bay and crawled across to sit next to Robin. The two of them had laid back on the warm stone, relaxing and chatting as they listened to the splashes and playful shouts of their nakama celebrating their victory.

Nami set her pen aside and took a moment to admire her rendition of the bay. It had been sad to leave the beautiful island, but she had consoled herself with the knowledge that with the Mugiwara pirates, she was guaranteed to see hundreds, maybe thousands more remarkable islands; each likely with their own unique and beautiful sights.

Absentmindedly, she traced her index finger along the bay's curve. Would she still be able to look forward to the wondrous sights and adventures ahead of them with this bounty hanging over her head? She abruptly pulled her hand back and was dismayed to see that she had smeared the freshly drawn boulder.

"Damn!" Nami jumped up, reaching for a clean cloth. Wasting no time, she leaned over the map and carefully dabbed at the wayward ink. She managed to wipe most of it away, but there was a slight stain where the ink had streaked across the bay. It would never again be as perfect as it first was.

Looking at the ugly stain on her new map, Nami felt all of her recent fears and frustrations bubbling to the surface. She swore again and kicked her chair. It wasn't fair. She was sailing the Grand Line, seeing the world, and working steadily to create a map that encompassed it all. And she was finally feeling like she was making progress. As her drawings stacked up, she had been watching her dream become something tangible – real. But they had to go and ruin it.

Nami kicked the chair again and soon began pacing around the small room. It wasn't that she was afraid of being killed or captured by bounty hunters – well not seriously afraid anyway. She trusted Luffy and the others to keep her safe. But how was she ever going to get anything done if she had to always be around her crew in case she happened upon a bounty hunter? And vice-versa – how was everyone else supposed to go about their normal day if they had to be constantly worried about protecting her? Nami groaned.

She had come a long way in the past few years in terms of being able to fight and defend herself. She laid a hand on the clima-tact she had tucked in her clothes. But she could not hope to be able to fend off the kind of bounty hunters that would be attracted by her new bounty.

Nami kicked the chair once more for good measure before yanking the door open and stalking outside. The deck was dark and the air was cool. Nami closed the door quietly behind her and sucked in a deep breath of the brisk air. She had closed herself up in the library immediately after dinner and had stayed for hours. The rest of the crew had likely been asleep for a long while.

Nami rolled her shoulders as she padded across the deck. The night was silent save for the occasional jangle of the sails' metal fastenings and the slow, rhythmic slapping of waves against the sides of the ship. She sighed as she approached the rail. Being out of the confines of the room was already improving her mood.

She leaned against the railing and looked up at the sky. Flickering stars crowded the dark sky, making the expansive space appear paradoxically small. She couldn't help the second sigh that escaped her lips. She loved this ship, this crew, this life. It terrified her to think that this new bounty could disrupt the wonderful life that she and her nakama had built together. She traced a grain in the rail's wood as she stared blankly into the darkness ahead.

"Oi Nami."

Nami jumped at the greeting and turned to peer around the dark deck. Squinting, she was just able to make out a figure lounging against the far wall.

"Zoro?" He shifted to stand and she got a glimpse of green hair. She tapped her foot on the deck annoyed. "Baka! You scared me half to death." Her foot continued its tapping. "What are you even doing out here?"

As he strolled across the deck towards her, his figure became clear and she was able to see his mischievous grin. "My after-dinner nap ran a little long. Though you should be more prepared. You've got quite a bounty now, you know."

She scowled and turned back to the railing with a, "humph".

She stiffened as he wordlessly joined her at the rail. With a sigh, he leaned his forearms on the rail and came to rest against it.

He turned to look at her. "What? No sharply worded comeback?"

Nami pressed her lips together. She didn't have the energy for a verbal sparring match with Zoro now. Instead, she crossed her arms and leaned against the rail, mimicking his stance.

"Huh. You must be pretty upset after all."

Nami responded by pressing her lips together even tighter.

"You shouldn't be."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Nami whirled to face him. She could feel a vein pulsating in her forehead. "I _shouldn't_ be worried that my bounty has been increased by over 100,000,000 beli? And I _shouldn't_ be concerned that this increase apparently wasn't due to my skill, but is instead part of a plan to ensure my capture or killing? And I really _shouldn't_ be the least bit scared that this is all part of a larger attempt to wreak havoc on our whole crew?" Silence resumed its reign as Nami breathed heavily in and out and attempted to regain her composure.

"No." Zoro said the word easily, his tone confident.

Nami glanced at him sharply. Her gaze moved from his shoulders that were set back and relaxed, to his mouth that was upturned in a self-assured grin, and finally came to rest on his keen stare. One eyebrow was arched and his there was a glint in his eyes. He really was the picture of confidence. Standing next to him, Nami began to feel the tension in her own shoulders begin to loosen.

She leaned back on the rail and looked down. "How do you know?"

He laughed. It sounded incredibly loud on the barren deck. "There isn't a bounty hunter out there who is stronger than me. And even if there was, there sure as hell isn't a bounty hunter who is stronger than Luffy."

"I don't want you guys to have to do that – to be constantly looking out for me."

He shrugged, "We're nakama. We'd be doing that anyway. Now it'll just be a bit more often."

Nami glanced at him and then looked back at the ground. Despite the cool, evening air, she felt warm from her head to her toes.

"Thanks Zoro."

He pushed himself up from the rail. "You don't have to thank me." She watched as he turned and began to make his way to the men's quarters. He paused halfway across the deck and called over his shoulder, "Just don't raise my debt any higher!"

Her lips turned up and she couldn't resist calling back to him in a sing-song voice, "We'll see!"

Zoro shook his head and continued walking. Nami watched until he disappeared through the door of the men's quarters. Once the door clicked softly shut she leaned against the rail and turned back to the sea.

Thank you for reading. I appreciate any reviews or critiques :)


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: One Piece does not belong to me, it belongs to Oda.

Thank you for the reviews! I am having a lot of fun with this piece. I hope you enjoy the next chapter.

Chapter 3

* * *

The repetitious cries of seagulls filled the air.

"Almost there! Zoro! Drop anchor!" Luffy's voice rang out as he swung around the mast.

Nami glared at the spinning captain before calling over her shoulder, "Zoro, don't drop anchor!" She rubbed at her temple. "We've barely entered the harbor."

Luffy stretched his legs and landed beside her. "Zoro! Listen to Nami!"

Zoro's lazy voice drifted down from the crow's nest, "That's what I was planning on doing."

Luffy's lips spread back in an impossibly wide grin and he threw his head back as he laughed.

Nami continued rubbing at her temples. "Bakas".

She gripped the railing as the harbor city slowly grew in size. Within ten minutes they had reached the docks and Zoro slid down from the crow's nest to drop the anchor. Robin emerged from their room and came to stand beside her.

"Are you alright Navigator-san?"

Nami shrugged. "I'm still a bit worried. But I feel better." Truth be told, the talk with Zoro had gone a long way towards soothing her fears. It was difficult to remain too worried when faced with his overwhelming confidence.

Robin's eyes crinkled as she smiled. "I'm glad. Besides – the bounty was issued so recently, it's unlikely that many have seen it yet."

Nami nodded. She was hoping for a brief respite before she became the target of countless bounty hunters. She was counting on this stop being a final moment of normalcy.

* * *

As they docked, the crew broke into groups to go shopping and explore the island. Zoro crossed his arms as the crew loudly and simultaneously vocalized their opinions. Somehow it was decided that Nami, Chopper, and Sanji would shop for food and medical supplies. Franky and Usopp took off as soon as the ship had stopped moving. They were in search of supplies for a grand new weapon they had in mind. Apparently it was supposed to help Nami, but they refused to divulge any more than that. Brook volunteered to guard the ship since his appearance did tend to cause a scene.

That left Zoro, Robin, and Luffy standing on the deck. Luffy's tongue lolled out and a trail of drool had begun to seep from the side of his mouth. "Fooooood."

A groan sounded from Zoro's stomach. Food didn't sound bad.

Robin raised a hand to cover her quiet laughter. "Food it is then. Let's go."

Zoro, Robin, and Luffy sat around a small table. The small surface was already starting to fill with discarded plates as the three ate their meal. Zoro couldn't help his roaming gaze as he lifted the last morsel off his plate. The restaurant was crowded with customers and bustling waiters. It was one of the first restaurants off the harbor, and thus the first restaurant they saw. Luffy had been in the door before he and Robin could say anything.

Not that he was complaining. Zoro set his plate to the side and leaned back. The food had been delicious. He watched as Luffy shoveled more food into his wide mouth. "Luffy, can you even pay for all of that?"

Luffy swallowed a particularly large mouthful and rubbed his mouth with the back of his hand. "Nope. Don't have any money."

Zoro flinched. "Eh? What do you mean – nothing?" He growled, "You ate half the restaurant!"

Luffy shrugged sheepishly.

Cursing, Zoro dug through his pockets. Why did his captain always do this? He groaned, "I don't have enough to cover all of this."

"Don't worry. I have enough to pay for it."

Zoro sighed in relief at Robin's offer and leaned back in his chair.

"How do _you _have enough?" Luffy's question was asked between mouthfuls of food that he had managed to scavenge from the plate Robin had set to the side.

"Nami-san gave me plenty before we left the ship."

"No fair! Nami doesn't give me and Zoro that much!"

"Or any" Zoro added.

"Our navigator must like me better than the two of you."

Luffy cried out in protest and Robin began to laugh.

Robin laid out the money and the three of them made their way out of the restaurant, Luffy still complaining about the unfair treatment. Zoro understood why Nami didn't trust their captain with much money. Luffy was a great pirate, but he lacked the restraint to handle any kind of cash. He would likely spend it all on one giant meal and would then have to roll back to the ship.

Zoro didn't so much understand why Nami didn't trust him with the money. He would probably only spend it on supplies for his katanas. Or maybe a back-up katana? Zoro perked up at the idea of having a sword in reserve, but quickly squashed the idea. He didn't _really_ need one. And Nami would never give him that kind of money. Not with his debt to her being so high already.

He scratched his head as he followed Luffy and Robin through the winding streets. How much did he owe Nami now? He racked his brain as he tried to remember what the number was last. Eventually he gave up. It didn't really matter anyway. He had long since resigned himself to being in the witch's debt for life.

Zoro looked up and was startled to see that he was no longer following Luffy and Robin. He turned in a circle but didn't see either of his crewmates anywhere. "Damn, they must have gotten lost." Zoro shrugged his shoulders and turned down a street to his right, sure that he would run into them eventually.

Zoro turned down another street and paused. He turned his head, sure that he had heard something. There it was again. It was distant, but his skin began to prickle as he started in the direction of the noise. He was rounding a corner when he clearly heard the frightened scream. He would know that voice anywhere. Nami.

Zoro sprinted through the crowded streets. The scream didn't sound again, and he fervently hoped he was running in the right direction.

* * *

Nami, Chopper, and Sanji stepped onto the dock and began a leisurely walk through the city. They had plenty of time and Nami wanted to be sure that they found the best deals. Though after an hour, they had already managed to procure several bags worth of food. Nami grinned. She was on her game today. They hadn't met a salesperson here yet who was immune to her charm and wit.

Chopper trotted next to them in his four legged form. Nami gratefully set one of her bags on his back when he offered to give her a break. The blond haired cook was already laden with multiple heavy sacks of food. Nami looked at the multitude of food they had already bought. At this rate, they wouldn't be able to carry any medical supplies for chopper.

"Oh Sanji-kun" she called sweetly.

"Yes Nami-san?" Sanji nearly dropped the bags as he leapt towards her.

Nami lifted the bag off Chopper's back and set it on top of the pile Sanji was carrying. "Would you mind taking the food back to the ship? We can't carry any more and I want it to be locked up before Luffy has a chance to see it."

Sanji swooned, "Of course Nami-Swan!"

Nami smiled as she watched Sanji take off in the direction of the ship. She was amazed he didn't drop anything at the speed he was moving. She turned to Chopper, "Now what kind of medical supplies do we need to find?"

Chopper craned his neck to look at the shops nearby. "I need more gauze and to re-fill my supply of cough syrup."

Ah yes. Nami cringed as she remembered the cold that had swept its way through the crew a few months ago. Every interaction had been punctuated by coughs and Luffy had lost his voice all-together. Nami cringed again as she recalled Luffy's attempts at non-verbal communication, which usually consisted of stretching a limb out to grab whichever crew member he happened to need. It had not been a fun week.

Chopper frowned and seemed to be having similar thoughts as he squeaked, "Though I hope we don't need it ever again!"

Nami agreed wholeheartedly. "Where do you think we will find them?"

Chopper sniffed and looked to his left. "This way."

Nami nodded and followed him through the congested streets.

Nami spied a medical supply shop at the far end of the plaza. She opened her mouth to tell Chopper, but was interrupted by a gravelly voice.

"My dog here seems to have caught a scent. It smells an awful lot like 150,000,000 beli."

Nami felt her heart stop. Chopper froze and the two of them slowly turned.

The man before them had dark curly hair that fell to his shoulders. A long leather jacket covered thick shoulders and opened to reveal and arsenal of knives strapped across his chest. At the center of which was a large, grisly looking axe. A black, wide-brimmed hat was pulled low over his face; his only visible feature was a crooked smile.

Nami gasped and Chopper began to quake beside her. Though the man was scary, he was not the primary cause of their fear. Hulking behind him was a gigantic beast. Nami supposed this was the dog he was talking about, though it looked nothing like any dog she had ever seen. Its head was level with the man's shoulders and the beast was covered in thick, dark fur. Large ears were laid flat against its head and hackles rose along the ridge of its back. Nami swallowed. Its large yellow eyes seemed to be staring hungrily at her.

"I see you've noticed Venor." The man patted the animal's head. "My name is Kikori. I am a hunter, and I use Venor to track my prey." The beasts snarled and its lips parted to reveal a row of sharp, white teeth. Nami and Chopper stepped back.

Kikori ran a calloused hand along the handle of the axe as he continued, "Once Venor has a scent, he never loses it."

With shaking hands, Nami pulled her clima-tact from her shirt. But Kikori didn't move to attack. She tensed as he reached into his coat. Though instead of a weapon, he held a leaf of paper. He glanced down at it once and let it fall to the ground. Nami's own face stared up at her.

"It is a very good picture. Looks just like you."

Nami felt cold. The inflated numbers of her bounty filled her vision. She gripped the clima-tact with sweaty palms and stuttered the first lie that popped in her head, "It's all a ruse. I made it myself. I'm not that powerful, but I - I wanted everyone to think I was." The lie sounded weak even to her.

The man shook his head, "It's real all right. And I caught myself a bargain right here." He slid the axe from its holster. "Venor and I are going to eat well after we cash in on your bounty."

With a roar Chopper transformed into his heavy point form. "You can't have Nami!"

Kikori tipped his hat back and raised his eyebrows. "You're pet's not just a pet after all."

Chopper fumed, "Of course I'm not!" His eyes widened as Venor growled, but he nonetheless stepped in front of Nami with a determined frown. "You will have to go through me first."

Kikori shrugged. "Fine." He turned to the beast. "Venor. Attack."

With a snarl the beast launched itself at Chopper. Nami screamed.

Chopper lunged forward and wrapped his arms around the snarling animal. Chopper and Venor fell to the ground as they battled for control. People around them began to scream and the plaza quickly emptied.

"Chopper!" Nami tightened her hold on her clima-tact as she looked for some way to get the beast away from Chopper. She had just decided to try cyclone tempo when there was a whistling noise beside her. She dropped to the ground and saw the axe swing through the spot she had been moments before.

Nami scrambled to stand as Kikori swung the large axe in lazy circles around his finger. "Leave that fight to them. You've got to deal with me now."

Nami could still see Chopper struggling with Venor at the corner of her vision. She was scared of what that creature might do to her friend. But her attention was drawn to Kikori who pulled his hat down and began to walk towards her.

Nami swallowed and flicked her clima-tact to her side. "Thunder charge!" The end of the clima-tact erupted in electricity.

Kikori spun the axe one final time and caught it in his palm. "So she can fight." He didn't give her a chance to respond. One second he was standing before her and the next he was beside her, swinging the axe down. Nami screamed and raised her weapon to deflect the blow. When his axe deflected off the metal rod, she twisted it around, attempting to stick him with the end and give him a shock. But he was too fast. By the time she had thrust the clima-tact forward, he had already jumped back.

He laughed as he rolled his shoulders and Nami took a second to glance at her companion. Chopper had his hands wrapped around Venor's muzzle, but she was alarmed to see that his brown fur was matted with blood. She looked back just in time to roll out of the way of Kikori's descending axe.

"Hold still little red head. It will be over soon enough."

Nami pulled herself to her feet. "Wouldn't you make more money delivering me alive?"

He scowled and pressed his hat down further. "We would. And they did stress that alive was preferable in this case." He scratched his chin. "_But_ as I said. Venor and I are all about the hunt. And the kill is really what makes the hunt."

Nami's heart was pounding. Every instinct told her to run. But Chopper was fighting for his life. She couldn't leave him here. Nami breathed out once and raised her clima-tact. "Hurricane-"

His movement was a blur. Before she could blink, he had hooked the edge of his axe around the rod and tore it from her grasp. Nami watched with wide eyes as her clima-tact soared through the air. She winced as it clattered to the ground several yards away.

Nami jumped back as he swung his axe back towards her. It whistled by, inches away from her face. She cried out as she stumbled to the ground. Nami pushed herself backwards, looking for something she could use to escape. There was nothing.

Nami began to sweat as he slowly approached her. It seemed he knew he had won. And as he stood above her Nami felt true fear. It was as if an icy hand gripped her heart. She stared into his merciless gaze and vaguely wondered if everyone felt this cold before they died.

He hefted the axe up and Nami closed her eyes. She knew it was cowardly, but she couldn't bear to watch as the axe was swung down towards her. She felt the air move above her and cringed. _Goodbye_.

But the blow didn't come. Instead, the air was filled with the rasp of metal grinding against metal. Nami's eyes snapped open.

"Zoro."

* * *

Thank you for reading. Reviews and critiques are always appreciated.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: One Piece does not belong to me, it belongs to Oda.

Thank you for the reviews!

Chapter Four:

* * *

Zoro thrust his katanas up and forward, sending the axe wielding man stumbling back. He lost his balance and slid backwards, eventually coming to a halt several yards away. Zoro adjusted his grip on his swords as he watched the man with narrowed eyes. He had begun to slowly pull himself to his feet. Zoro spared a glance at the navigator who was still on the ground behind him. Her eyes were wide and she looked pale, but otherwise seemed alright.

He turned back to the man in the hat before he spoke.

"Are you okay Nami?"

There was a moment of silence.

"Yeah, I'm okay."

The man squinted at them as he tossed the axe back and forth between his hands. The axe was large, several feet long, with what looked to be a razor sharp tip. Zoro frowned as the scene he had arrived at played over his mind. He doubted he would ever be able to forget it.

He had been sprinting through narrow streets and had turned a final corner into the plaza when he came upon them. Nami was lying on her back, feebly propped up on one elbow. Her eyes were squinted closed and her lips were pressed together in a thin line Standing above her was the man in the hat. And when Zoro had entered the plaza, the axe in his hand was careening down, only inches above her.

Zoro had sprinted forward, pushing his legs to move faster. He had known there was less than a second, less than half a second. His katana were out and he was a yard away. He had extended his katana as far as it would reach and then braced his arm. The screech of metal against metal was one of the most beautiful sounds he had ever heard.

Zoro blinked, shaking himself out of his reminiscence. The man was still staring at him, sizing him up.

Zoro raised his blades. It was time to finish him. "Nami. Get back to the ship."

A breeze picked up, causing a shop's shuttered window knock listlessly against a wall.

"Chopper needs help." Her voice was defiant,

Zoro looked to other side of the plaza. Chopper held the creature in headlock. But his hands were shaking and the beast snarled as it thrashed its large body back and forth. Zoro's hands tightened around his katanas. He was torn. As long as Nami was out here, she would be the primary target of both the bounty hunter and his dog. He knew he could fend off the bounty hunter. But could he fight of the beast at the same time? If the dog got loose from Chopper, Zoro wasn't sure he would be able to protect her from both of them at once.

He groaned as he looked back at his struggling nakama. Chopper needed help.

"Zoro! I have to help him!"

Zoro ground his teeth together. "Okay." He rubbed his thumbs over the hilts of his blades. "Let me distract this guy. Wait until after we are fighting before you make your way over there."

"Got it."

Zoro gripped one sword in his mouth as he pulled the bandana off his bicep and wrapped it around his head. "And Nami." He spared her a final glance, "If that wolf-dog breaks away from Chopper, I need you to run like hell."

* * *

Nami scooted backwards as Zoro began to walk towards Kikori.

"Oi, hat guy. Your fight is with me now." His deep voice reverberated off the walls of the empty plaza.

Kikori tipped his hat back and laughed. "Is it now?" He fingered his axe. "You see, I'm just looking to collect this easy little bounty. I would rather not waste time with extra fights."

"That's too bad."

Nami clenched her fists as Zoro positioned his legs into a fighting stance.

"It's a new policy." He lifted a katana to point it at his opponent. "You should probably spread the word. Anyone who wants Nami's bounty is going to have to fight me first."

Kikori swung his axe in a lazy circle. "And who might you be."

"Roronoa Zoro."

Kikori caught his axe mid swing. "_The_ Roronoa Zoro?" He laughed. "Well, well, this might be worth the fight. After I beat you I can have both of your bounties. Venor and I will live like kings."

"You can try." His lips spread in a feral grin.

Kikori darted forward and swung his axe down hard. Zoro easily parried the attack and moved quickly to counter it. Soon, the two were a blur of swinging blades. The plaza echoed with the clang and rasp of metal against metal.

Nami watched the battle with wide eyes. Sometimes Zoro's speed seemed inhuman. Though today she was especially grateful for it. She glanced at the place where she had been lying moments before. Her breath left her. She had almost died.

Nami glanced back at the swordsman. She had faced death before, and several times Zoro himself had been the one to save her. But this had been different – she had _known_ there was no one to save her. And for the first time, she had closed her eyes, sure that she would never again open them. Nami shivered and eyed the swordsman once more. Apparently death hadn't accounted for a man like Zoro. He seemed to defy human limitations.

Zoro was still trading blows with Kikori, though they were slowly moving towards the other side of the plaza. Nami assumed Zoro had a hand in that. She watched the fight for another moment before deciding it was time to help Chopper. She made a mental note to thank Zoro after all of this was over.

Nami crawled several feet until she reached her clima-tact, and as she wrapped her hand around its cool metal, experienced a surge of confidence. Nami glanced to make sure the bounty hunter was still occupied. The two men were now fighting at the far end of the plaza. Without a second thought, Nami pushed herself up and began a sprinting run towards Chopper.

Chopper had one arm wrapped around the beast's neck and was trying to pin its head against the ground with the other. It was snarling and snapping its jaws and kept squirming, forcing Chopper to constantly readjust his grip.

Nami flicked her clima-tact out to the side. "Thunder Charge!" The end of the clima-tact once again erupted in sparks. She didn't slow as she approached the beast, instead calling out a warning to her friend.

"Chopper!"

Chopper looked up and his eyes focused on the glowing clima-tact. With a roar, Chopper hefted the creature up just as Nami reached it. She thrust the clima-tact forward. Chopper let go of the creature just before it was engulfed in electricity. Nami's hairs stood on end and the plaza was filled with the piercing buzzing. And then it was done. Nami jumped back as the beast fell to the ground.

Chopper stepped tentatively forward and nudged it once. "It's still alive."

Nami nodded. "Though it probably won't be getting up any time soon."

She turned to Chopper as he reverted back to brain point. "Are you okay?"

Chopper patted himself. "I think he bit me a few times. But I'm okay."

Nami kneeled next to him. "I'll patch you up. Is there anything in your backpack I can use to clean the wounds?"

Chopper nodded. He winced as he pulled the small pack off his shoulders. He dug out a small bottle and his meagre supply of gauze. He frowned, looking at the small pile of fabric. "Luckily I won't need much." He passed Nami the bandages. "I can clean them. But will you wrap them once I'm done?"

Nami nodded. While Chopper dabbed antiseptics on his wounds, she peered over his head to watch the continuing battle between Zoro and Kikori. Zoro was quick and his movements were effortless. It seemed like he had the upper hand, but the bounty hunter was holding his own. Chopper's voice pulled her attention back.

"I'm ready for the bandages."

Nami tore her gaze from the fight and began to gently wrap the bandages around his wounds.

"Will Zoro be alright?"

Nami couldn't help but glance at the fight one more time before smiling down at Chopper. "He will be fine. This guy's not anywhere close to being as strong as Zoro."

Chopper's eyes seemed to sparkle as he turned to observe the swordsman.

As they watched, Zoro easily dodged a swing of the axe and in the same moment, sliced diagonally across the man's torso with both swords. Bright blood spurted out of the long gashes. Kikori fell to his knees and dropped face-forward to the ground, as Zoro stepped back and sheathed his katanas in one smooth motion.

He turned his head quickly in their direction. And then his shoulder's relaxed. He had likely noticed the beast's prone form. Nami sat back as he walked leisurely across the plaza to join them.

"You guys okay?"

Chopper nodded quickly.

Nami glanced down at him. "He has a few bites, but he should be okay." She looked up, "How about you?"

He scoffed, "He couldn't touch me. That baka was a waste of all of our time."

Nami took a second to look him over just in case. Then she ducked her head, making a show of studying the uneven pavement. She was glad it had been a walk in the park for him – it hadn't gone so well for her. That reminded her; she still needed to thank him.

"Zoro, I-"

"NAMI, ZORO, CHOPPER!" Nami's head whipped up at the sound of Luffy's voice.

A cacophony of voices instantly joined his.

"Nami-san! I failed you!"

"Usopp is here!"

"Nami, are you alright?"

"Zoro! What happened?"

Nami slapped her forehead and she watched as a vein in Zoro's own forehead throbbed.

She groaned, "Where were all of you five minutes ago?"

Luffy scratched his head. "As soon as we heard the commotion we started running. It took us a while to find you."

Robin chimed in, "Our captain took about three wrong turns."

Luffy scowled and crossed his arms. He glanced from Nami and Chopper to the downed beast and from Zoro to the axe man. He grinned, "It seems like you guys did fine without us."

"Bakas."

* * *

Thank you for reading! I have to say, this chapter was a bit harder to write. I always appreciate reviews and critiques. Thanks!


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: One Piece does not belong to me, it belongs to Oda.

Thank you for the reviews! I have to admit, I am not as satisfied with this chapter. But I am pushing on nonetheless :)

Chapter 5:

* * *

"Are you sure you're alright Nami?"

Usopp's question was nearly drowned out by an earsplitting clattering and banging. Nami drummed her fingers on the table and threw another irritated glance in the direction of the kitchen. Sanji had been incredibly upset that she had been attacked in his absence; and despite her repeated assurances that it was fine, the cook seemed to be taking his frustration out on their dinner.

"Nami?"

Nami turned back to Usopp, pausing her drumming. "Sorry. What?"

"You sure you're okay?" He scratched his head. "That guy was the first bounty hunter to come after you."

Nami shrugged her shoulders and attempted a smile. "Yep. I'm fine. Zoro took care of the guy." She held the smile for another second before glancing back at the kitchen. Truthfully, the events from the afternoon had terrified her. But Usopp didn't need to know that.

"Did you and Franky find the supplies you needed?"

Usopp perked up at the question, leaning forward in his chair. "We did! Preparations are complete. The construction of Project Awesome has officially begun!"

Nami couldn't help but laugh. "Project Awesome?"

Usopp waved his hand. "Yeah, yeah. You can guess what Franky wanted to name it. But I vetoed and we decided on Awesome."

"And what is it?"

He shook his head as a wide smile spread across his face. "Top-secret. You will see in a few weeks."

"A few weeks! That long?"

"Oh yes, anything truly awesome takes at least that long." He nodded, as if concluding an official statement.

Nami leaned back into her chair. It was a relief to be back on the ship after the day's chaotic events. She could still vividly picture the dark haired man, hat pushed low, the axe swinging loosely in his grasp. She frowned. There _was_ something bothering her though.

"Nami?"

She tapped a finger lightly against the edge of the table. "It's nothing – just something that guy said. Now that I think about it, it was strange."

Usopp's questioning stare was a silent invitation to continue.

"When he was attacking me, he said something like: they said alive was preferable for this one – or in this case." She scrunched her nose. "Who is _they_? The marines? And why would he say 'in this case'? Why would I be any different than other pirates?"

Usopp's eyebrows drew together as he frowned in thought. "That is weird. I don't know Nami."

For the next few minutes, the two sat in comfortable silence. Even as the rest of the crew began to file in for dinner, the question still occupied Nami's thoughts. However, as soon as everyone was seated and their conversations began in earnest, it became impossible to properly think. Nami filed away the perplexing statement to consider later and returned her attention to her crew-mates.

A rhythmic banging sounded from the far end of the table. Luffy's hands were in fists and he was repeatedly pounding them on the smooth surface. The banging was accompanied by his high pitched mantra, "Food, food, food, food."

"Calm down shitty pirates! I'm bringing it out now." Sanji emerged from the kitchen, balancing several heaping trays of food. Luffy's eyes bulged at the sight. "I made a particularly large dinner for Nami-San tonight. You shit-heads better not eat it all."

Sanji placed the trays on the table with a flourish. Luffy instantly began grabbing all he could reach. Sanji cursed their captain and lifted his foot to give him a good kick, but Robin interrupted him.

"It looks great Sanji-Kun" The dark haired woman smiled as she began to fill her own plate.

Sanji's eyes lit up. "Anything for you Robin-Chan!"

Nami agreed. It did smell delicious. She was reaching to begin to fill her plate as well when it was whisked away from her.

"Hey-" Nami started to protest, but Sanji shushed her.

"Nami-San, you have had a trying day. Let me serve you."

Ah. Well then that was alright. Nami sat back and relaxed.

Sanji muttered as he scooped food onto the plate, "That shitty marimo better not have let you get a single scratch."

Zoro's fork clattered on the table. "_I_ better not have let her get a scratch? I wasn't the one who went off and left her!"

Nami cringed, sensing the beginning of a loud and volatile fight. Maybe she could still diffuse it.

Sanji slammed his hand on the table. "Shut up shit head! You don't think I know? It was a mistake! I rushed back as soon as I heard the fight."

Nami considered giving them each a good knock to the head, but she really didn't have the energy for that. Instead, she raised her voice, "Let's not argue. It's my fault anyway! I sent him back to the ship."

Zoro's raised his voice even higher. "You obviously didn't rush enough ero-cook."

"I didn't hear you volunteering to come with us to protect her in the first place! You and Luffy went to stuff your faces!"

"I didn't think I needed to!"

Nami pounded the table a few times herself. "Stop! It's no one's fault! Leave it be! Let's just continue with dinner in peace."

The table went quiet as everyone looked between Nami, Zoro, and Sanji with wide eyes. There was a grating scrape as Zoro pushed his chair back and stood. He leaned forward, pressing both hands on the table as he glared at the cook. "You don't get it. You don't get how much you screwed up back there."

"You think I don't know?"

"No shit cook, you don't. Do you realize how close it was? If I had arrived a second later, _a second_ I – ." His fingers clenched the side of the table as he released a single bitter laugh. "Hell, I could have taken just one wrong turn and I would have arrived to a very different sight."

Sanji immediately stilled.

Zoro roughly pushed his chair back into place and stalked from the room. The door slammed behind him. As the echo of the slamming door faded there was a pause in which no one moved or spoke. Sanji finally broke the spell by turning sharply on his heel and disappearing into the kitchen. The banging of pots and pans resumed in earnest.

Luffy shouted over his shoulder, "Sanji! You already made dinner!"

There was no response.

Chopper's small voice spoke up, "They always fight like this. Why are they so mad this time?"

Robin rested her hand lightly on his head. "What happened today scared them. They are just worried about our Nami-San."

Nami clenched her hands. While it was somewhat gratifying to be reminded that her crewmates cared about her and worried – even the emotionally challenged swordsman; she hated that she had been part of the cause of this last volatile argument. With the potential bounty hunters that loomed in their future, they needed to be united now more than ever.

"But they didn't seem scared. Just really angry." Chopper sounded confused.

Robin smiled softly, "Sometimes people don't know how to properly express one emotion, so it comes out as another." She looked down at Chopper. "I think they might be a bit mad at themselves too."

Nami listened to Robin's explanations as she stared down at her plate. It truly wasn't Sanji's fault. She had asked him to go back to the ship. He hadn't known people would be after her bounty already. She hadn't known either. But she also understood why Zoro was angry. He shouldn't be expected to have to look out for her during all hours of the day. Yet he still would have blamed himself if something had happened to her.

"Why is everybody so upset?" Luffy's innocent question distracted her from her musings.

Franky spared her a glance before answering. "You know, Nee-chan had a close call today."

"But Zoro saved her."

"But he almost didn't" Chopper's eyes started to water.

Luffy's head tilted to the side. "But he did."

Usopp slapped the table in frustration. "That's not the point! Are you even listening?"

"Yep. Zoro saved Nami in time today. And next time we will save Nami or anyone else in time too. We never fail our nakama." Luffy stated it mater-of-factly, as if there was no alternative.

Robin smiled. "That is positive thinking."

Luffy shrugged, "Just the truth," and resumed eating.

Nami pushed a piece of food around her dish. She admired Luffy's confidence in everything working out, but she had her doubts. If they were going to get through this, she couldn't help but feel that she needed to be stronger. Then at least her crew could leave her alone for five minutes without having to worry. The problem was, she didn't know how to get stronger, or if she was even capable of it. As Robin had said, she was a navigator, not a natural born fighter. She stabbed at another piece of food in irritation.

Today she had been lucky; there was no doubt about it. She had been able to fight off the bounty hunter long enough and remarkably, Zoro hadn't taken any wrong turns. Nami watched as her nakama gradually began to eat and talk as normalcy resumed. She didn't joint them. The day's events played again and again in her mind and she had to wonder: how long could her luck possibly last?

* * *

Thanks for reading! It is so much fun just being able to write this story, and it is such a bonus knowing that a few other people are enjoying it too. Please review with any comments and critiques. I am always seeking to improve my skill as a writer :)


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, it belongs to Oda.

Thank you all for the reviews!

Also - It was asked if this takes place post-timeskip. I'm actually not that far into One Piece yet. I have seen pictures of the characters after the time-skip, but I was mainly envisioning the characters as they look before the timeskip when I wrote this. I hope this helps!

Chapter Six:

* * *

The needle within the clear, spherical dome swiveled once before righting itself. Nami nodded in satisfaction. They were still on course. Local fisherman in the last city had told her the journey to the next island would take at least a couple of weeks. Nami stared at the log pose a moment longer, admiring the small needle that pointed unquestioningly towards their next destination. If only she were capable of such certainty.

Nami's gaze rose to the crow's nest. After Zoro and Sanji's fight, she had spent the rest of dinner pushing food around her plate and thinking over her predicament. She had continued mulling it over as she checked her maps during the couple hours following the meal. And now after checking their course, she had to admit that she _had_ managed to come up with an idea. Nami shaded her eyes as the glare of the setting sun reflected off the waves ahead.

Though the more she thought about it, the worse the idea seemed. Partially because it would require the help of a certain moody swordsman. Nami turned to the nest again. She wasn't even sure if he would be willing to help her. But save for giving up a life of piracy and settling down in some rural village, it was really the only idea she had.

With a shake of her head, Nami turned to the crow's nest and resolutely began to climb up. A salty breeze wafted around her, tugging at the back of her shirt. The coarse rope of the ladder was oddly comforting beneath her fingers. She reached up to grab the ledge, and quickly lifted herself inside.

The compact room was warm compared to the cool outside air's foreshadowing of evening. The warmth could be partially due to the green haired man steadily working out in the center of the room. She watched as the reclined swordsman methodically bench pressed a bar crowded with weights. She wrinkled her nose. It did kind of smell like sweat.

Nami cleared her throat. Zoro glanced in her direction without pausing his exercise. "What do you want Nami?"

Nami couldn't help but feel he might still be a bit upset from the events of the day and the previous dinner. Maybe she should attempt to placate him before making her request. She schooled her features into an easy smile. "Are you still mad about your fight with Sanji?"

He continued bench pressing without response.

Nami relentlessly carried on. "You are both bakas!" She waved her hand dismissively. "Getting worked up over nothing."

Zoro glared at her between lifts. "Is this really your attempt to make me feel better?"

Nami's shoulders drooped. "Alright, alright. I'm sorry that I scared you today-"

There was a thud followed by a cacophony of clangs as Zoro lost his grip on half of the bar and all the weights went tumbling to the floor. Nami stared at the scene with wide eyes.

Zoro coughed and sputtered for several seconds before he managed to say, "I wasn't _scared_!" He uttered the last word as if it was an affliction.

Nami regained her composure first. She waved her hand again, making light of the situation. "Zoro! We're nakama! There's nothing shameful about feeling a little bit of gut-wrenching terror at the thought of one of your nakama being in mortal peril. It just shows you care." She gave him an impish grin.

Zoro was sputtering again and his face had begun to turn an angry shade of red. "I don't _care_ either!"

Nami watched as he got progressively more flustered and angry and she seriously began to re-think her chosen method of placating the swordsman. Maybe she should just get to the point.

"Zoro?"

He had begun stacking his weights back up. "What?" His voice was clipped and his tone irritated.

Nami rubbed the tip of her sandaled shoe against the ground. "I kind of need a favor."

Zoro paused his stacking. "You need a favor."

She tapped her toe impatiently. "Yes."

He was beginning to frown. "Why aren't you just making me do it by holding my debt over my head like you usually do?"

"I'd rather you were willing to help me. It would go better if you were."

"What is it?" He sounded suspicious.

Nami looked him in the eye. "I want you to make me stronger."

"Huh?"

She stamped her foot. "Train me! Show me how to move fast like you do. How to agilely dodge attacks."

He was still staring at her.

When she next spoke, her voice came out quieter than she had intended. "I want to be better able to defend myself next time a bounty hunter comes around." The image of the razor-sharp edge of the axe came unbidden to her mind and she clenched her hands into fists.

When he still didn't say anything, Nami turned to the window, suddenly embarrassed. Who was she kidding. What could Zoro possibly teach her? She probably wasn't even physically capable of most of the fighting maneuvers he did. She watched as the last wavering edge of sunlight slipped beneath the horizon and tried to think of the appropriately snarky remark that would allow her to change the subject and get out of there.

"Fine." His voice was resigned.

Nami turned, unable to conceal her wide grin. Zoro looked like he was already regretting the decision. She was about to thank him when he raised a hand.

"On one condition."

She didn't like the sound of that.

A self-satisfied smirk was quickly replacing his weary expression.

She really didn't like that.

"You have to forgive _half_ my debt."

Nami's mouth fell open. It was a second before she could even respond. And when she finally did, her voice came out an octave higher. "Half! That's crazy!"

He leaned back. "Take it or leave it."

Nami knew she had no choice. She groaned, "Fine." She noted that Zoro looked unreasonably pleased. "When do we start?"

He heaved the weights back up. "Tomorrow morning?"

Nami nodded and turned to leave. She paused at the top of the ladder. "Thanks Zoro."

He had already resumed lifting. "Don't thank me just yet. You may regret this once start working tomorrow. I'm a pretty tough teacher."

Nami cringed but put on a brave face. "Pshh. I'll be fine."

Zoro chuckled, "We'll see."

Nami laughed nervously and began to climb down the ladder. The whole way down she wondered if she had just made a horrible, horrible mistake.

* * *

Thank you for reading! Also, I realize that my chapters are a bit shorter than those of other fanfictions, I hope this doesn't impede anyone's reading. Writing shorter sections and posting them more frequently tends to help me keep up momentum on the story. Thanks again! I welcome critiques and reviews!


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, it belongs to Oda.

Thank you all for the reviews! This was ready last night, but for some reason the site wouldn't let me upload documents. Well, here it is now!

Chapter Seven:

* * *

He was weightless and warm. His hammock rocked gently back and forth, in perfect time with the movement of the ship. Zoro cracked an eye open. Soft, orange light was filtering in through the window. Zoro yawned, still blinking off the last vestiges of sleep. He glanced at the window again, confused. It couldn't be later than seven. It was unusual for him to wake up so early.

A hollow banging sounded from the other side of the door. "Zoro! What does it take to wake you up?"

Zoro groaned. The mystery was solved. He promptly rolled over and buried his face in his pillow. He had agreed to help train her. But he had never said anything about doing it at the crack of dawn. "Go away woman!"

There were moans of agreement from the crewmates sleeping around him.

"You said we would start this morning!"

"Not this early!" Zoro pulled a blanket over his head. If he was being was honest with himself, he would acknowledge that there was no blanket large enough or thick enough to drown out that woman's voice. But it was too early for honesty. With the blanket snug over his head, Zoro firmly closed his eyes and willed sleep to return.

"I'm not going to forgive any of your debt if you don't get out here." And then the banging resumed in earnest.

"Zoro…just go." Usopp had a pillow over his head and was lethargically poking the side of Zoro's hammock.

"Oi! Leave my hammock alone!" Zoro swatted Usopp's hand away.

There was another knock on the door "Zoro?"

He was going to kill her. Zoro rubbed a hand over his face as he slowly rose from his hammock. It didn't matter if she was ready to face any more bounty hunters or not, because she wasn't going to live long enough to see them.

Zoro grabbed the first shirt and pair of pants that he could find. Nami must have heard his movement, because the obnoxious knocking finally stopped. He roughly pulled on his boots and grabbed his katanas from their customary spot beside where he slept.

Zoro quickly crossed the room and yanked the door open. He was ready to tell Nami _exactly_ how he felt about being awake at this hour. She was just outside the door, leaning casually against the wall. But as he stepped out of the room to face her, Zoro felt his anger begin to melt away. Zoro didn't want it to – in fact – as he turned around to close the door behind him, he did his best to grasp onto those last tendrils of frustration so that he could properly tell the navigator off. But when he looked at her face again, he couldn't hold onto even one.

It was obvious she had meant her pose to be casual, arms crossed, leaning slightly against the wall. But Zoro had a swordsman's eyes; eyes trained to notice details in movement and posture that might hint at an opponent's intent.

And so when Zoro looked at Nami, he saw her crossed arms, but he also saw that the muscles in her forearms and biceps were tensed. She was nervous, wanted to protect herself. She was leaning against the wall, yes. But her shoulders were stiff and raised. She was uncomfortable.

Zoro didn't need to be a swordsman to understand the expression on her face. Her lips were pressed in a tight smile, but her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were bright. Despite being scared, she was really excited.

Zoro blew out a slow sigh. Damn this woman. She wouldn't even let him be properly mad at her. "You ready?"

She nodded quickly. "Yep."

As they turned to walk down the hallway, he allowed himself one gripe. "You have to be the loudest person I have ever met."

She raised her eyebrows. "I had to be! You sleep like the dead! And I'm not going to become a seasoned fighter by sleeping in till noon."

"Hey! I sleep in!"

"Yeah, but you're not completely human. I need all the advantages I can get."

Zoro frowned, trying to decide whether or not that was a compliment. He stopped when they reached the middle of the deck. Nami looked confused.

"Not the crow's nest?"

Zoro shook his head. "There's too much equipment up there. It would get in our way."

"But won't I need the weights? To build my strength up."

Zoro scratched the back of his neck. He wasn't sure how to say this in a way that wouldn't make her mad. "Ehhhh…Well Nami. You're pretty small. You can't actually get that much stronger."

Her face darkened and he knew he had failed miserably.

"I mean physically stronger!"

Her eyes narrowed.

"Look, a person can only build up so much muscle. You're small Nami. Even if you lifted weights all day, you still wouldn't be able to beat someone bigger than you in a fight of pure strength."

She scowled and he shrugged his shoulders. It was the truth. He held up his hand to halt the barrage of yelling he knew was on its way.

"So we're going to work on other ways of fighting. Speed, agility, honing in on an enemy's weak points. A physically stronger opponent won't be able to beat you if they can't touch you."

Just as suddenly as it appeared, her dark expression vanished. Her eyes lit up and her posture straightened. This woman's range of emotions was as remarkable as it was terrifying.

She nodded once. "Where do we start."

"Step one: becoming aware of your surroundings." Zoro set his katanas to the side.

Nami's eyes shifted from one side of the deck to the other. "My surroundings?"

He returned to stand in front of her. "What do you see?"

She frowned. "Uh. You. The ship." She glanced behind her. "The sun. There's some cumulonimbus cloud's on the horizon – we might hit a storm tomorrow "

"You're looking as a navigator. Think of this as the place where we are going to fight. What is important to notice?"

Nami looked at their immediate surroundings. "Um. The deck is flat?"

Zoro nodded for her to continue.

Encouraged, she looked around further. "There aren't many things to get in the way – except the lawn chairs over there.

He nodded again. "You always need to know your environment. By remembering what is around you, you can both avoid obstacles and use them to your advantage. It is even more important to know your opponent. Look at me. What do you see?"

Her eyes traveled from his feet to his head. She looked him in the eye. "A lazy swordsman who can't get out of bed."

"Hey! Be serious!"

She shifted her weight and mumbled something under her breath.

"What?"

"Your arms, you have a lot of muscle there."

If he didn't know any better, he would say that her ears had begun to turn a light shade of pink.

"So what would that mean?"

"You use your arms a lot when you fight. They are strong."

"Good. These are only basic observations, but noticing these things ahead of time will give you an advantage. Being able to predict how your enemy will fight could save your life."

She crossed her arms as he continued.

"Being able to see clearly and observe details is an extremely important part of fighting. But people often mistake it as being the only important part. They forget their other senses. Close your eyes."

Nami hesitated, but nonetheless let her eyelids drop.

"What do you hear?"

Nami's eyebrows drew together. "The waves breaking on the prow of the ship. The sails are rustling." The wind slackened and she paused. "I can hear you breathing."

He moved forward, stepping lightly around her. Zoro purposefully let one of his boots drag slightly along the deck. Her head titled slightly.

"Are you moving?"

"Good. Although you ideally want to keep your eyes on your opponent at all times, there is always the chance that they could get behind you – or they could have a friend. You always need to be listening for sounds that might signal a coming attack."

She nodded, eyes still closed.

"Now, what do you feel?"

She held still. "There is a breeze coming from the East. I can feel the ship's rocking."

Zoro passed by her again.

"I felt the air move near me. Are you moving around again?"

Zoro was a bit impressed. "Yes. Something as small as a gust of air can give you the split second warning you need to move. Now – what do you smell?"

"Ew! Zoro! Don't make me smell you!"

Zoro crossed his arms, somewhat offended that she seemed to be insinuating that he smelled bad. "Getting a whiff of an unfamiliar smell could be the only warning a truly stealthy enemy may give you."

"I'm still not going to smell you."

"Fine! Just keep it in mind."

She nodded impatiently as she opened her eyes. "Got it. Can we start now?"

"Wha- Nami! We are started! This is important."

"But I want to practice dodging attacks! Striking back!"

"We will get to that. But it will all be easier if you first train yourself to be aware of everything around you."

He thought he heard her groan.

"Okay. Time for your first exercise. Close your eyes."

"Again?"

"Yes. The exercise is this: Stand right there. I am going to move around the deck. I will periodically come near you. If you manage to tag me, you can open your eyes."

With a determined expression she widened her stance. Zoro began to walk around the deck, slowly winding his way near her. He stepped softly past her back and her arm swung out to meet him. Without pausing, he ducked his head and stepped back.

"Hey! Are you dodging out of the way?"

Zoro laughed, "Dodging is fair game. You just need to be faster."

Zoro spent the next half hour moving close to her and then ducking or dodging away from her swinging hands. They were nearing the forty minute mark when Zoro passed quickly in front of her and felt her fingers graze his back as he jumped away. She felt it too.

"Ha! Got you!" Nami's eyes snapped open and she broke into a wide grin.

Zoro couldn't help a smile of his own. "Not bad. Next, we'll start practicing with your eyes open. And then we'll start working on evasions."

She waved her hand. "I'm already pretty good at evading. I do it all the time."

Zoro raised an eyebrow, suddenly feeling mischievous. "Oh you are?" Without pause, he rushed her. She screamed as he hooked his leg behind hers, sending her falling backwards. But before she could hit the deck, he wrapped his arm around her waist, easily halting her fall. He held her for a moment before gently setting her down.

Zoro looked down at her stunned expression and couldn't hold back his laughter. "You… sure are…good at dodging."

Nami's eyes were wide and she held a hand over her chest as she watched him laugh at her. "You ass!" But even as she said it, her lips were reluctantly turning up in a smile.

"I did catch you."

She began to laugh too, even as she protested, "Only after you knocked me down!"

Zoro looked down at the woman who sat below him. Her orange hair was tousled, pieces of it were sticking at odd angles, her cheeks were red, and her eyes were bright with laughter.

Zoro blinked, and realized that he had been staring. He shook his head and without a word held a hand out to her. Her smile widened as she reached up to grab it. Her skin was soft, though he could feel callouses on the front and sides of her fingers – likely a combination of cartography and wielding her clima-tact. Zoro tightened his grasp and easily pulled her to her feet. Once she was up, he looked down as he dropped her hand.

She spoke first. "What's next?"

He grinned, "Same game, but with your eyes open. Use all of your senses as you to try to tag me. I will be moving faster this time."

She nodded and resumed her stance.

They spent most of the morning on this exercise, with Nami trying to tag him, and Zoro rapidly dodging. They had just begun to work on Nami's dodging and evasion, and the sun had risen high in the sky when they finally called it a day.

After their last exercise, both were tired damp with sweat. Nami immediately left to take a shower and Zoro went to seek out a good place to nap. He needed to catch up on sleep after being woken so early.

Zoro lowered himself into a nice, shady spot and sighed. Their morning training session had gone better than he had expected. Nami may not be a natural fighter, but she was determined and picked things up quickly. It had actually been enjoyable – but he wasn't going to tell her that.

And to top it all off, the love cook had only interrupted them once to attack Zoro on Nami's behalf. She had managed to explain that Zoro was helping her, and after that, the cook had disappeared into his kitchen and had yet to come out. Zoro closed his eyes and smiled. It was shaping up to be a good day.

* * *

Thanks for reading!


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: One Piece does not belong to me, it belongs to Oda.

Thanks again for the reviews :) This update is coming so fast after the last one because the previous chapter's posting was delayed due to the site's technical difficulties. I thought about holding this chapter until tomorrow, but I would rather just put it up now.

Chapter Eight:

* * *

The sun reigned high overhead. She readjusted her grip on the wooden pole as a bead of sweat slid down the center of her back. Her opponent crouched, a twin pole within his grasp. A second drop of sweat collected on her brow. She twitched as it began a sluggish journey down the side of her temple. She let it be; instead focusing on steadily breathing in and out. She didn't dare take her eyes off him, even for a second.

He moved. Nami tensed, automatically raising the pole. Her eyes shifted downward as she remembered his advice: _always watch the feet_. As he approached her, he planted his left foot down as the right foot swiveled on its ball. She remembered what that meant. Nami grabbed the other end of her pole and thrust it up and to the left. A sharp crack reverberated around the deck as the second pole crashed down upon it.

Nami cringed as he continued to press his stick downwards. His voice echoed in her head. _Never try to take down a bigger opponent with strength alone. Evade and strike, evade and strike. Wear them down_. Nami pulled her pole back and rolled to the side. He took a heavy step forward as his pole struck the ground where she had just stood.

Nami jumped to her feet and thrust the end of her pole at her opponent's side. He twisted his torso and swung his pole up, knocking hers away. She jumped back as he sent a returning jab in her direction. Undeterred, she slid to the left and swung her wooden weapon heavily at his head. Another _crack_ indicated his swift block. She pulled the pole back, intending to strike again, when he suddenly rushed forward. She only had time to take a single step back before he hooked the pole behind her legs and yanked it forward. Nami's feet left the ground and she began to fall backwards. That damn swordsman - not again!

But like the first time he had done it, just before Nami hit the ground, she felt an arm wrap around her waist, halting her fall. Her sweat-soaked shirt had ridden up and she could feel his calloused fingers pressing firmly against her side. Before she had a chance to fully register the touch, she was set lightly on the deck and the hand disappeared as quickly as it had arrived. Nami ducked her head and tugged the edges of her shirt down, telling herself that the heat in her cheeks was due to sun exposure and nothing else.

Despite the heat in her cheeks, Nami forced herself to turn her head up to the crewmate standing above her. He rested his hands on his hips and flashed her a smile. "You're getting better."

They had been working out for several hours in the sweltering sun and Zoro had removed his shirt halfway through. It lay draped over one of the ship's rails. Nami felt her gaze wandering from his face, past his muscled shoulders, and across his toned chest and abdomen. With a start, Nami realized what her traitorous eyes were doing and forced her gaze back down to the deck.

Nami silently berated herself as she stared determinedly at the planks beneath her. This was bad. As a general rule, Nami didn't particularly believe in the need for her own personal restraint. If she wanted money, she would find a way to steal some money. If she wanted clothes, well then she would go buy some. If she wanted to travel the world making maps, then she was going to do it. But this – this was one place where Nami felt it was wise to utilize restraint.

These were her nakama. If she wanted romance or even just a good time, Nami had decided early on that she would look outside of the crew to get it. They all lived together, saw each other every day. Having anything beyond friendly interactions with anyone in their crew was just asking for things to get messy.

Nami started when Zoro kneeled beside her. His previous smile had been replaced with a concerned frown. "Eh, you okay?"

She must have been staring off into space longer than she thought.

"I didn't think I knocked you that hard." He looked closely at her. "Are you hurt?"

Nami shook her head, forcefully dispelling any remaining thoughts concerning Zoro's admittedly fit figure. She gave him a reassuring smile. "Ah, don't worry. I'm fine!" She paused. "I was just wondering why I had the bad luck to wind up with a trainer who feels the need to knock me on my ass every other day." She concluded her statement with a silly face and proceeded to stick her tongue out at him.

Zoro grinned, automatically picking up his end of their verbal sparring match. "If you weren't so slow I might stop. But at this point, it's just too easy to resist."

Nami cried out in mock indignation.

The two of them had been training together for the past two weeks. They had fallen easily into the routine of joining each other on the deck every morning and working out for several hours. Usually by the end of their workout, their training had devolved into teasing and mock arguments. Nami would never tell Zoro, but she kind of liked it.

Luffy's shout interrupted their current argument. He bobbed from one of the sails as he called out to them. "Nami! Is Zoro being a jerk?"

Her eyes narrowed as she looked at Zoro with a sly grin. "Yes he is!"

Zoro gave them each a glare. "No I'm not!"

Nami shaded her eyes as she looked up at her captain. "Should we team up against him?"

Luffy nodded. "I think so."

Zoro jumped to his feet as Luffy flung himself like a slingshot down at them. Luffy laughed as he tied his limbs around the swordsman. "Now's your chance Nami!"

Nami grabbed her fallen pole and sprang to her feet. Zoro was spinning around trying to pry their rubbery captain off of him. "Damn-it Luffy! If I had my swords on you'd be dead!" Nami rushed forward and poked him lightly in the side. Zoro's head jerked up. "Oi! Don't poke me!"

Nami couldn't contain her laughter Luffy continued to wrap around Zoro and she circled, occasionally poking him. Suddenly Ussop's voice could be heard.

"Go Nami!" He started chanting. "Nami, Nami, Nami."

Zoro scowled over at him. "Get over here and help me!"

Usopp shook his head. "I'm not getting involved."

Zoro grunted, finally managing to get one of his arms loose. He reached his arm out and grabbed onto her pole just as Nami was going in for another poke. "Give me _that_." He yanked it away.

She held her hands up in surrender before dropping to the ground, still laughing softly. Luffy finally began to unwind himself. Zoro seemed to be doing his best to look angry, but his lips were already beginning to twitch.

Nami smiled, "I think we're even."

Zoro rolled his eyes and dropped to the ground beside her. Luffy was laughing as he plopped down too. "We got you good Zoro."

"Yeah, yeah." Zoro leaned back and closed his eyes.

"Zoro?"

He cracked an eye open.

"Do you really think I've improved?"

He nodded firmly. "I do. You move more confidently now."

Nami felt warm again.

"You still have a ways to go."

"I know." And she did. Nami could only hold her own against Zoro for a few minutes at a time – and that was only when he was going easy on her. But she reasoned that even being able to stand a few minutes against an easy Zoro would allow her to better defend herself against any other reasonably strong opponent.

Nami glanced down at Zoro and Luffy. The two of them were reclined on the deck and their mouths were slightly agape. Soft snores were coming from both of them. Nami shook her head. She didn't know anyone else capable of falling asleep as quickly as those two.

She understood why Zoro was tired. Despite his initial complaints, he had dragged himself out of bed every morning for the past two weeks to help her. Nami watched as his chest slowly rose and fell. She really did owe him a lot for doing all of this. She had toyed with the idea of getting rid of his debt all together, but it pained her to think about relinquishing that bargaining chip. Rationally, she knew that if she really needed something, Zoro would probably help her out – even without the debt. But her time with Arlong had ingrained within her the idea that money owed meant allegiance. And though she knew that her crew was nothing like Arlong and his crew, she couldn't let go of the idea that other's debts to her functioned as invisible safety nets.

Nami glanced at the snoring swordsman again before laying back on the deck herself. Maybe she could forgive it all – someday. Just not yet. And with that thought she let her eyes close. She listened to the crush of the prow gliding through the sea and heard the ship's idle groans beneath her. She focused on these mundane sounds and tried not to think about how close they were to the next island. They would likely arrive in the next few days. After a few minutes, the ships movement rocked her into a fitful sleep. She dreamt of bounty hunters.

* * *

Thanks so much for reading! I really am having a blast just getting this story written out. I hope some of you are enjoying it as much as I am :)


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: One Piece does not belong to me, it belongs to Oda.

Thank you everyone for the reviews! It is very nice to have feedback :) This chapter took me a bit longer, but I was eventually able to iron it out.

Chapter 9

* * *

Tall walls rose on either side of them. The pathway upon which she Zoro walked was thin and sandwiched between brick buildings. The sound of their footsteps echoed through the alleyway. Every step was unnaturally loud - or maybe the city was abnormally quiet.

Nami rubbed her hands over her arms. She didn't like this city, and found herself wishing they had never stopped here. The whole place was too bizarre. They had yet to encounter a single person, and the buildings that towered around them had no windows. It was just – strange.

Nami stopped. She could feel goose bumps rising on her arms and neck and had the creeping sensation that they were being watched. She turned to look behind them. But no one was there.

She turned back around and stopped short. Zoro was gone. Nami craned her neck in both directions, but the swordsman had disappeared. How had he gotten lost so quickly?

Nami continued down the pathway, hoping that she could catch up with the wayward swordsman. But with every step she took, the light in the alley seemed to dim. Soon it was almost impossible to see the very pathway at her feet. Nami reached a hand out, skimming her fingers over the rough bricks, and used the wall to guide her.

Nami had only taken a few more steps when her foot caught on something, and she felt herself falling forward. The ground was cold against her knees and hands. A figure stood before her.

"Zoro?"

It didn't answer.

Nami pressed against the ground and slowly stood. At the same time, the figure stepped forward. She gasped. It had no face. He had the body of a tall, well-muscled man; but where his facial features should be, there was only a flat expanse of skin.

His hand reached out for her. Nami tried to step back, but her feet wouldn't move. She watched with horror as the large hand came at her. His rough fingers wrapped around her neck. She could do nothing.

Her legs kicked out as she felt herself lifted off the ground. She scratched at this arms and hands, but it was in vain. The alley filled with the sound of Nami's rasping breaths.

"Give up. You are weak."

Nami's eyes widened. He had no mouth to speak with, but the deep voice was undoubtedly coming from him. She kicked out at him again, desperately trying to escape from the monster.

"You will die. Just as they did."

Nami was suddenly and violently tossed away. She rolled across the uneven pavement, finally stopping when she struck something soft. Nami looked to the side and found herself face to face with Luffy.

"Luffy?"

His eyes were wide open, but they didn't look at her. They stared blankly ahead. Empty.

_No_. Nami pushed herself violently back and struck something else. With a hammering heart, she turned. Nami's hands flew to her mouth. Robin lay before her. Her eyes were as empty as Luffy's had been and her neck was bent at an unnatural angle.

Nami held her stomach as she began to dry heave. This couldn't be happening. Taking a breath, she forced herself to look around. Usopp was crumpled beside Robin, his expression permanently frozen in fear. Chopper's hulking form was sprawled further away. Nami sucked in more and more air. She was beginning to hyperventilate.

She forced herself to continue looking. Franky lay just beyond him, his entire body singed. There were bones everywhere. Nami blanched. Brook.

Sanji lay to her left. He was facedown, but she would recognize his blond hair anywhere. His normally pristine suit was ripped and torn. His back was flayed. There was a figure just beyond him.

Nami was shaking, but she forced herself to stand. She felt as though she were walking through quicksand. It was a struggle to lift each foot. When she finally reached him, she dropped to her knees. His body was covered in cuts and lacerations and he lay in a pool of blood. Zoro's eyes were as empty as everyone else's.

Nami stretched a trembling hand forward. She tentatively touched the back of his arm. It was cold. Nami slowly pulled her hand back and took a shuddering breath. Her fingers were covered in blood.

"Your _nakama_." The faceless man chuckled darkly.

A sob tore its way from her throat; she didn't try to stop her tears. "Why- why did you do this?"

"They were trying to protect _you_." He laughed again. "Obviously they failed."

She could hear the crunch of his shoes against the pavement as he approached. But she was frozen, staring blankly forward. It was her fault. He stood above her; she didn't look up. She knew she was going to die, but she couldn't bring herself to do anything at all.

His hand roughly grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up at him. She found herself staring into the blank plane of his face. He raised his hand; it held a long knife.

"Now Nami. Know death."

He brought his hand down and she screamed.

"Nami!"

She gasped. Arms were wrapped around her, restraining her.

"Nami! It's okay! It's not real – just a dream."

Nami sobbed, holding fast to the woman beside her. Robin rubbed her back as she continued to cry. The woman seemed to have sprouted a few extra hands in order rub her back and hold her still at the same time.

"Just breathe. It's all okay."

Nami nodded and tried to take a few slow, deep breaths.

It was too dark to properly see Robin beside her. But the woman's voice was soft. "The same dream?"

"Nightmare." Her voice was hoarse. This was the third night in a row that she had a nightmare such as this one. The locations where different and the situations always varied slightly; but in every one, there was a faceless man - and her nakama were dead.

Robin continued rubbing circles on her back. Since they shared a room, for all three nightmares, Robin had been the one to wake her. The last two times it had taken half an hour for the older woman to fully calm her down.

Shuddering, Nami pulled the blankets around her. "It was horrible."

Robin squeezed her hand. "And we were all –" She let the sentence hang, leaving the second half unspoken.

"Yes." It came out as a croak.

The hand squeezed hers tighter. She had told Robin, alone, of the horrors she witnessed in these dreams.

"It is just a nightmare Nami. Probably brought on by the stress of approaching the next island."

Nami nodded slowly. The storm they had hit two days ago had delayed their arrival at the next island by several days. She suspected they would reach the island by the day after tomorrow. And a part of her knew that the nightmare probably _was _stress related. After all – a new island meant the potential for more bounty hunters. All the same, she couldn't get their blank stares out of her head.

"Robin?"

"Yes?"

"I – I have a bad feeling." It sounded silly when she said it out loud.

"You just had a horrible nightmare; of course you have a bad feeling."

Nami squeezed her blankets. "No. It's different. I can't help feeling like we are all in danger."

"That would be nothing new. We've faced danger before." Robin started rubbing her back again. "Try to go back to sleep Nami. It will be okay."

Nami reluctantly reclined back into her bed. She could feel extra blankets being pulled up around her. "Thanks Robin."

"Go to sleep. You will feel better in the morning."

Nami closed her eyes and waited for sleep to return.

* * *

Nami yawned. She blinked, trying to drive the bleariness from her eyes. After the nightmare, sleep had eventually returned; though not until after she had tossed and turned for several hours. And now she stood on the deck, squinting at her log pose, attempting to ensure that they were still moving in the right direction. She sighed. They were.

Nami folded her forearms on the railing and lowered her head down on top of them. The sun's warm rays on her shoulders and back felt nice. She let her eyes close.

"Nami!"

"Ah!" Nami's head jerked up. Usopp was running across the deck, followed closely by Franky. Their blank stares from her nightmare flashed in her memory. Nami tensed as she tried to push the images away.

Usopp slid to a stop in front of her. He was beaming, clearly unaware he had just startled her from the beginning of a very relaxing nap. She crossed her arms, forcibly focusing on her annoyance at being disturbed rather than the horrible images of her nightmare.

"It's done!" Usopp was still wearing a pleased grin. Franky stopped behind him. His face was plastered with an identical grin.

"Project SUP-"

Usopp glared at him.

"I mean – Project Awesome is done Nee-Chan!"

Franky held out his hand. Sitting in the center of his palm was a small box. He pushed his hand closer. "Take it!"

Her frustration and her nightmare forgotten, Nami plucked the box off his hand. She lifted it up to get a better look.

"Open it, open it!" Usopp bounced from foot to foot in excitement.

Nami smiled at his antics. He continued to bounce as she gently lifted the lid off the box. Sunlight glinted off the metal object folded neatly inside. Nami hooked a finger underneath it, and lifted what looked like a piece of long jewelry from the box. She held it in front of her, puzzled.

"Er… Thanks guys." She furrowed her brows as she continued to examine the strange object. "What is it?"

Franky opened his mouth, but Usopp pushed him to the side. "It's the cutting edge of climate-based weapon technology!" Usopp grabbed the object from her hands and held it up proudly. "Behold! The Baro – Bracelet! Baro – Brace for short."

He handed it back to her and Nami eagerly examined it. At the mention of climate technology, her interest had been significantly piqued.

"Here, let me help you girlie."

Nami frowned as the object was once again taken from her. But before she could complain, Franky grabbed her left hand and slipped the object over her hand and around her wrist.

"Oh!" Nami held her hand out, admiring it. In fact, it still looked like some kind of jewelry. It was made up of thin pieces of dark blue metal, which were intricately woven together into a complex chain. The chain was thinnest at her hand, where two small chains stretched from either side of her middle finger to her wrist. Both chains connected together briefly at her wrist, wrapping around her wrist once, and then grew larger as they crisscrossed up her arm. Nami turned her hand over. Sitting in the center of her palm, strung between the chains on either side of her middle finger and those at her wrist, was a thin, round gemstone. She tilted her hand. The clear stone sparkled as it caught the light.

"It's beautiful!"

Usopp and Franky visibly deflated.

Usopp spoke up, "Yes, yes, we knew that you would want it to look nice so we got Robin to help us with the design. But don't you want to know what it does?"

Nami allowed herself another few seconds of admiration before she pulled her gaze away from the bracelet. "What does it do?"

Usopp cleared his throat and stood up taller, but this time Franky pushed him to the side.

The blue haired man grinned. "It's so cool girlie! It can control the weather just like your super climate stick!"

Usopp shoved his way back in front of Franky. "You're not saying it right!" Usopp cleared his throat before continuing. "The amazing Baro – Brace can be used both as a supplement to your clima-tact and a weapon by itself. The chains are designed to catch air to create unique air currents and modify weather patterns. You can change these weather patterns by moving your arm in various ways. And like I said- you can use the Baro – Bracelet to add onto and modify the attacks of your clima-tact to make them even more powerful. And plus, since it's attached to you, it can't be knocked out of your hands during a fight."

Nami regarded the bracelet with an open mouthed stare. It was amazing. She slowly twisted her arm to see all of its angles. "And what about the gemstone? What does it do?"

Usopp grinned gleefully. "It's a Weerlig stone. Created only when lightning strikes the ground where there is the perfect combination of minerals. Monazite, Titanite, Xenotime…"

Nami ran a finger across its smooth surface as Usopp continued listing obscure minerals. He took a large breath as he concluded the list and Nami finally looked up.

"It is capable of harnessing the power of lightning. You can use it to more precisely direct lighting powered attacks as well as storing electricity to manually strike your opponents with."

Nami stroked the stone again in awe. "What prevents me from being electrocuted myself?"

Usopp looked smug. "We learned from Luffy. There is a thin layer of rubber attached to the back of the stone that separates it from your skin. It will keep you safe."

Nami stared at the wonderful creation, feeling overwhelmed at the lengths they had gone to make this for her. She finally looked up at her beaming crewmates. "Thank you!" She ran forward and pulled them both into a hug.

Franky's grin widened, "No problem Nee-Chan!"

Usopp waved his hand, "It took all of the great Usopp's considerable inventing ability, but it will be worth it to see you beat up a few bounty hunters."

Nami nodded, pulling out her clima-tact. If she wanted to get in some practice combining her old weapon with her new Baro - Brace before they reached the next island, she would have to do it now. The clima-tact felt good in her hand. She hadn't had the chance to use it during her and Zoro's practice. He had insisted that she use a wooden pole in place of her clima-tact so that he wasn't accidentally 'fried'.

Nami held the clima-tact at her side as she twisted her left arm experimentally. A gust of wind swirled upwards. Nami grinned. Usopp and Franky backed cautiously away as she swished her arm in another quick circle, increasing the swirling wind.

Usopp called out to her as he and Franky continued to back away, "Good luck with your practice!"

A few seconds later Franky added, "Don't destroy the ship!"

Nami waved her clima-tact. "I'll try not to!"

* * *

Zoro leaned against the rail as he looked down from the upper deck. He watched as the woman below excitedly tried different combinations of movement with her clima-tact and new bracelet. Currently, a dark cloud was swirling ominously above her. Zoro unconsciously leaned back when she flicked her hand and the entire cloud erupted in white light. He resumed his pose against the rail as the cloud dissolved, and she instead began to create a miniature tornado.

As she moved her arm and swirled her clima-tact, Zoro could see that her eyes were bright. She really was remarkable with the art of weather. He didn't know anyone who seemed to intrinsically understand it like she did. Zoro watched her natural movement. If she continued to train her speed and agility, making them as natural to her as the weather was, she would be a formidable fighter.

"Pretty amazing, isn't she Mr. Swordsman."

Zoro nodded once before he became fully conscious of the person asking the question. He raised an eyebrow as he glanced at the archaeologist who had silently joined him at the rail. She smiled at him before turning her gaze back to the woman practicing below. Zoro frowned. He didn't like that smile. It was the smile of one who thought they were privy to a joke everyone else had yet to get.

As Robin watched Nami's intricate movements, her smile gave way to a frown. Zoro wondered at her sudden change of mood. But before he had the chance to further consider it, she spoke.

"Nami has been having bad dreams. She is afraid."

Zoro's shoulders tensed. Nami had seemed tired the last few days. He was surprised at how irritated he was by the idea that there was something out there scaring Nami enough to keep her from sleep.

"What's scaring her? Bounty hunters?" Even as Zoro asked, he imagined destroying one bounty hunter after another; until there were no more left to fear. Zoro paused as a thought struck him. How many bounty hunters were actually out there? On Cactus Island he had gone through an entire town of them. Maybe he should just get rid of the lot of them.

Robin spoke up. "That is part of it, but before you decide to try to take out all bounty hunters; I'll tell you there's more to it than that."

Zoro crossed his arms; annoyed that she had guessed the progression of his thoughts.

"Nami is terribly afraid for all of us – her nakama."

Zoro scratched his head. "Eh? Why would she be afraid for us?"

Robin continued to watch their navigator. "It seems she is worried that we are going to be adversely affected by all of this bounty business."

Zoro shook his head, "We don't have to worry about a few bounty hunters. They may be strong, but there is no way they are more powerful than the strongest members of our crew."

"I agree." She paused, "But part of me wonders-"

She stopped before finishing her thought.

Zoro turned to face her. "Wonders what?"

"Our Nami has a remarkable talent for predicting changes in the weather. When a storm is coming, she is always the first to know." Robin's brooding gaze was fixed on their navigator. "I'm concerned that Nami may be our proverbial canary. Perhaps there is reason for concern – we've just yet to see it."

Zoro felt his gaze pulled back to the Orange haired woman as he mulled over Robin's disturbing thought.

"I suggest we stay alert."

Zoro didn't look up from their navigator when he replied. "I will."

* * *

Thanks for reading! This one was a bit longer :) As the story progresses and the plot continues to complicate, I have a feeling the chapters will begin to naturally lengthen. I always appreciate critiques and reviews! Until next time :)


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: One Piece does not belong to me, it belongs to Oda.

wickedgrl123 requested that I post a picture of what I was imagining for Nami's baro-bracelet. I couldn't find a picture online that was quite what I had imagined, so I decided to see if I could sketch it. It didn't take long for me to see why I get my creative fix from writing rather than drawing :P But I did manage to come up with something. I posted the link on my profile ( I couldn't figure out how to add it here).

Without further ado, here is the next installment! It's not very long, but I'm already working on the next section, so I should have another update soon.

Chapter 10:

* * *

When the ship finally pulled into port the entire crew was buzzing with energy. Nami drummed her fingers along the rail as she watched Chopper and Luffy chase one another around the deck. Two and a half weeks was simply too long to keep this crew confined to the ship. Even Robin was out on the deck, standing on her toes to get a better view of the busy city beyond.

Nami shaded her eyes as she gazed out at the docks. The narrow wooden pathways were crowded with bustling people. Heavy crates were dropped from towering merchant ships as fishermen shouldered brimming sacks of fish.

"Robin already volunteered to go shopping with Sanji to restock supplies." Zoro crossed his arms as he joined her in looking at the docks. "Franky and Chopper can go with them to help carry everything back. And I think Usopp was planning on going with Luffy to try to keep him out of trouble. Brook hasn't decided if he wants to scare the locals. If he doesn't, he'll stay on the ship with us."

Nami froze. "Stay on the ship? With us?"

She couldn't deny that she had seriously considered staying on the ship when they reached the island. Ironically, it was the horrible nightmares that convinced her she needed to go. She reasoned that if she faced some of her fears, she wouldn't have to worry about the rest of the crew facing them for her. And besides – she hated the idea that this bounty could keep her from living her life normally.

Zoro awkwardly scratched his neck. "Yeah. We can hang out. And just – relax."

Nami raised her eyebrows. "We just arrived at an interesting new island and you want to hang out." She paused for emphasis. "And relax."

Even as he nodded, a grimace crossed his face.

She shrugged, "Well I'm going into town. So you might as well come too."

The grimace transformed into a scowl. "No you're not. You remember what happened last time?"

She crossed her arms defensively. "I do remember. I still want to go."

"Are you stupid?"

Nami couldn't contain an angry cry as she smacked him on the arm. "I'm not stupid, stupid!"

"If you step a foot off this ship, you are stupid."

"Zoro! I want to go."

Zoro stepped in front of her, blocking her way off the ship. "Sanji and I talked about it. Believe it or not – we both agree that this is best." He stared down at her with hard eyes. His lips were set in a firm line.

Nami stomped her foot. "What about me? Does anybody care what I have to say?"

"Nope."

His smirk was infuriating. Nami spun on her heel; Zoro wasn't going to tell her what to do. It was time to try something new. As she approached the center of the deck, she allowed a few tears to well in her eyes. "Sanji-kun!"

She wasn't always proud of her tactics, but they usually got the job done.

Hearing her voice, Sanji turned, dropping the bag he had been preparing. Upon seeing her face, he flew to her side. "Nami-San! What's wrong?"

Nami rubbed beneath her eyes. "I want to go into town. I've been on this boat for weeks! Just like the rest of you." Nami's lip began a slight tremble.

Sanji dropped to his knees. He had an expression of agonized indecision. "Nami…"

Zoro's voice sounded from behind them. "Oi! No! Don't you go to Sanji!"

Nami ignored him and continued looking at Sanji with wide eyes.

"Don't you dare say yes, you shitty cook!"

Sanji's eyes were glassy and the side of his lip had developed a twitch. He began to stutter, "No – I mean – of course! – I mean, I mean..." Sanji's eyes remained glazed as he continued stuttering.

Zoro came to stand beside them. "Good job. You broke him."

Nami snapped her fingers in front of the cook's face. No response. She groaned as she turned back to Zoro. "You can't keep me here."

"Yes I can."

She clenched her teeth as she debated the wisdom of pulling out her clima-tact and baro-brace.

He frowned. "Why do you want to go so bad?"

Her frustration finally came to a head. Nami whipped her head towards him, "I'm scared! Okay?" She turned away, purposefully looking back at the docks. "I'm scared of the bounty hunters and I'm scared that all of you are going to get hurt because of me. And I hate, hate, _hate_ that some stupid bounty poster is making me feel this way." She swallowed. "And I feel like if I can just go out there, and face it even a little bit, I can still have some kind of control over my own life."

Zoro had stilled and his expression was unreadable. Nami waited for him to move.

After what felt like hours, he finally sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. His voice was resigned, "Love cook! Stop stuttering. We're going into town with Nami."

The effect on Sanji was instantaneous. As soon as the words left Zoro's mouth, the cook sprang to his feet. "Shopping with Nami-Swan! I will protect her while helping her find everything her heart desires!"

Nami was torn between a grin and a grimace as Sanji leapt away to finish his preparations. She turned to Zoro and placed a hand on his arm. "Thank you."

His gaze flicked down to her hand for the briefest of moments before he met her eyes. "We have to be careful."

She nodded sincerely, letting her hand fall.

The side of Zoro's mouth twisted up and she felt a change in his mood. "If you die, Luffy's gonna be pissed. Just so you know, if things do happen to go wrong, I'm blaming all of this on the shitty cook."

Nami winked. "Let's not let things go wrong then." She had turned to look for Sanji when a thought struck her. "If Sanji's coming with us, who's going to help Robin, Franky, and Chopper with the supply run?"

Robin spoke from directly behind them, "Don't worry. The three of us are more than capable of handling the supplies."

At the sound of her voice, both Nami and Zoro to jumped.

Robin looked at Nami, "I'm curious – since Chopper, Franky and I are already going to buy the supplies, what are you planning on shopping for Nami-san?" Her expression would have been innocent if it weren't for the crinkles at the corners of her eyes.

Nami tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she turned her eyes upward. "Well I _have_ been meaning to update my wardrobe."

As soon as the words left her mouth, there was a heavy slap beside her and a split second later a thud sounded from across the deck. Nami lowered her eyes to see Zoro's hand plastered against his face and Sanji mildly convulsing on the deck.

It was at that moment that Brook poked his head out of the cabin. "Clothes shopping! I'll come help Nami find clothes! Though I don't have eyes to see them with! Yohoho!"

Zoro yanked his hand off his face. "You have to stay here. We can't afford to cause a scene with Nami there."

The skeleton heaved a disappointed sigh.

Zoro muttered under his breath, "One pervert is enough."

Nami was actually relieved. Having Brook repeatedly ask to see her panties as she tried on clothes was not her idea of a fun trip into town.

"Love cook! Let's go! I want to get this over with."

Nami grinned as she elbowed him lightly. "Aw, come on. It won't be that bad. You might even have fun!"

He stared at her darkly and Nami mentally amended her statement. Maybe he wouldn't exactly have _fun_, but he might have an okay time. She briefly considered if buying him a few new outfits would make it better or worse. She sighed. It would probably make it worse.

Sanji finally walked up. "I wanted to make sure that the bags were ready for Robin-Chan. I'm ready to go now." All traces of his previous seizure were gone.

Nami was bouncing with excitement at the prospect of getting off the ship and buying new clothes. It was only when she moved to step off the ship that her nerves returned. She glanced wearily around the docks. It was always possible that there was a bounty hunter or two out there.

Zoro and Sanji were already waiting on the dock. Nami took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. She would not let fear – or the bounty on her head get the better of her. She looked at the men standing below her. She would show everyone that she was not afraid and that this bounty would not control her. And if it came down to it, she would prove to everyone that she was capable of defending herself. She refused to make them look after her forever.

With those final thoughts, Nami stepped off the boat and joined the men below. As she began to walk through the crowded docks, Nami found herself scanning the faces of those around her; as if she would be able to tell a bounty hunter from sight alone. She hadn't gone far when Zoro and Sanji shouldered their way through the crowd and proceeded to walk on either side of her. Nami craned her neck to look for shops, and pretended she wasn't relieved.

* * *

Once again, thank you for reading!


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, it belongs to Oda.

Thank you so much for all of your reviews! I appreciate all of them :) Here is the next chapter!

Chapter 11:

* * *

Zoro found himself scanning the crowd as they entered the town. His eyes passed over several individuals before a bearded man caught his attention. The man's eyes were lingering in Nami's direction.

Zoro's hand lowered to his katanas as he zeroed in on him. He only had to take in the man's slouch and his uncoordinated gait to know that the man was no bounty hunter. He concluded that the man's interest were probably carnal rather than criminal. Though oddly enough, he didn't find this conclusion reason to relax his hand. Instead, he placed it firmly atop his katanas and gave the man a narrow eyed stare as they passed. The man's eyes widened and he took a step back. Zoro sneered. Creep.

Nami seemed blissfully unaware of the interaction that had just taken place. Her head was swiveling back and forth; apparently debating different stores. Sanji practically hovered beside her. "Where first Nami-Swan?"

Her eyes lit up as they locked in on a target. Zoro couldn't contain his groan. The front window was crowded with colorful dresses.

Meanwhile, Sanji swooned. "Nami-Swan in beautiful dresses!"

Zoro resisted the urge to smack his face again. This was a mistake.

Upon entering the store, Zoro dropped into the first chair he could find. It was pink and squishy; he hated it. Nami had already begun browsing the racks of clothes and Sanji practically danced around the store as he pulled out various items of clothing for her.

Nami dug a dress out from the back of a rack, and as she held it up, her face lit up in a jubilant grin. He had to admit that it was nice to see her smile like that; as if she didn't have a care in the world. Ever since her bounty had been announced, those kinds of smiles had been few and far between.

She began to excitedly dig through another rack of clothes and Zoro slouched back into the chair. Maybe this trip wasn't such a bad idea.

Zoro had just closed his eyes when he heard his name. He cracked an eye open to see Sanji holding up two pieces of clothing in front of Nami. Nami was looking at him.

"Huh?"

"Which one do you think is better?" She gestured to the two dresses.

Zoro closed his eyes. "Ask Sanji."

"I already did. He's just agreeing with whatever I say." As if to prove her point, she grabbed the dresses and looked at the cook. She lifted the dress on the left. "I like this one."

Sanji threw out his arms. "It will look wonderful on you Nami-san! The most beautiful dress for the most beautiful woman."

She held up the dress on the right. "Actually, I think I like this one."

Sanji dropped to one knee. "Even more beautiful than the last! You will be stunning!"

She turned back to Zoro, eyebrows raised, as if silently saying: _see what I mean_? She lifted both dresses up for him. "I don't want to waste my money. Which one's better?"

Zoro sighed, squinting at one dress and then the other. They didn't seem that different. One was dark purple and had straps, the other was pink and didn't. He looked at each one a second time.

"Well?"

Zoro scratched the side of his face. "The purple one?"

"Why?" She arched her brow, clearly trying to catch him in the act of having chosen one at random.

He let his hand drop. "Uh. Wasn't the ridiculous outfit Sanji got you in Alabasta about that shade? I remember it was a nice color." Zoro could recall when Sanji had proudly delivered those outfits. He hadn't thought much of them at the time, but looking back on it, Nami's had looked…nice. But then he also remembered the piggy back ride he had been forced to give her a few days later. Zoro frowned.

Zoro, caught up in the memory, didn't at first notice the silence. When he did, he looked up in confusion. Nami was giving him a strange look.

"What?"

She shook her head and looked back at the dresses. "The purple one it is."

They spent a half an hour at that store and proceeded to visit two more after it. After they left the third shop, Zoro noticed Nami eyeing a lingerie parlor.

"Do you want to kill the love cook?"

They both glanced at Sanji in time to see a drop of blood trickle from his nose as he gave the store a wide-eyed stare.

Nami sighed, "Fine. I'll do that shopping some other time."

Nami readjusted her bag as she looked around. Zoro was already carrying one bag, and Sanji had two.

"Can we go back now?" Zoro knew he probably sounded like a petulant child, but he didn't care. He was tired of shopping.

Nami ignored his question as she stood on her toes to see over the crowd. "I think I see a park over there. Want to go?"

Zoro hesitated. A short nap in the park did sound nice. And it wasn't like Sanji was going to take his eyes off Nami.

She continued, "I just want to see some greenery before we go back to the ship. We'll head back right after."

Zoro was picturing a patch of soft grass, shaded perfectly by a large tree. He did really want a nap. When he came back to himself, Nami and Sanji were already walking towards the park. He scowled as he hurried to catch up with them.

The park was large. It stretched out in a vast circle. Dark green grass spread across it, punctuated by trees and scattered rosebushes. Several park-goers were sitting on benches, and some were even lying on the grass.

Nami kicked off her shoes and buried her feet in the grass. She closed her eyes as she scrunched and un-scrunched her toes around the soft blades.

Zoro had turned to look for the ideal napping tree when a figure caught his eye. The man was tall. A blue button down shirt hung loosely around his skinny frame. He had long brown hair that was pulled back in a ponytail, and narrow glasses which were perched on top of his sharp nose. And most importantly, he was walking directly towards them.

Zoro reached forward, gently grabbing the navigator's arm. Her eyes snapped open as he pulled her back. She opened her mouth, but he spoke first.

"Sanji."

"I see him." A freshly lit cigarette was balanced between his lips.

With Nami behind him, he reached for his katanas. He felt her trying to peer over his shoulder as the man approached.

"What is it?" Her voice was close to his ear.

The man stopped a few yards away.

"We're about to find out."

The man rested his hands on his hips as he leaned to one side. "You're an uptight bunch, aren't you?" His voice was quiet and his tone conversational.

Zoro stubbornly gripped the hilt of his katana. He didn't mind that he was confirming the stranger's words.

The man continued unperturbed, "Let me introduce myself. My name is Sobra Jett." He inclined his head in a slight bow. "I would very much like to fight the beautiful pirate Nami. To see if I might claim her bounty."

The silence was punctuated by the warbling tweets of a nearby bird.

Sanji blew out a stream of smoke. "How about no."

A soft scrape sounded as Zoro loosed the first katana in its sheath. "The last guy must not have spread the word like I told him to. Before you can fight Nami, you're gonna have to-"

He stopped when he felt the pressure of a hand on his back. Her voice was quiet, but firm.

"I want to fight him."

* * *

Thanks for reading!


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, it belongs to Oda.

I realize this update is really soon after the last one. This section was already partially written and when I sat down, the rest of it flowed pretty naturally. Hopefully this will make up for the last section being kind of short :)

And again, thank you so much for the reviews. I appreciate all of you who have taken the time to write them :)

Chapter 12:

* * *

Zoro turned, hoping he had somehow misheard. "You want to what?"

Nami stood up taller. "I want to fight him."

"No."

At the same time Sanji said, "Let us take care of this creep for you Nami-San."

She shook her head. "I need to fight him."

Zoro glanced back at Jett, who was still standing several yards away. His hands were shoved in his pockets and he watched them with his head tilted to the side.

"Give us a sec."

Jett shrugged his shoulders. "Sure, sure. Take your time."

Zoro turned back. "There is no way you are fighting him! We've all been worried about how to keep you away from bounty hunters, and now you want to walk right up to one?!"

She nodded. "I have to."

He looked down. Her hands were shaking.

"You're scared."

"That's why I have to."

He shook his head again. "No way."

"You've been training me yourself!"

"For two weeks! _Two weeks_ Nami! You still have a long way to go, and you won't be able to improve at all if you get yourself killed right now."

Sanji frowned, "You've never minded us beating guys up for you before Nami-San. What's different about this one?"

"It's not _him_. It's…I've been having these nightmares alright?"

Jett cleared his throat. "Can we fight now?"

Sanji whipped around, "Hold on!" He turned back. "Asshole. Anyway, what kind of nightmares? Do you want me start making you tea before bed?"

Zoro interrupted him, "Robin told me already."

Nami jerked her head towards him, "She told you!?"

He shrugged. "She was worried."

"Hey shitty marimo! Why do you know about them and I don't?" Sanji's cigarette was hanging out of the corner of his mouth.

Nami rubbed a hand over her eyes. "For the last few days I've been having terrible dreams where all of you die. And it's all because you were trying to protect me."

Sanji adjusted his cigarette. "It's just a dream Nami-San."

She shrugged. "I know. But I feel like there is truth in it. I can't completely rely on all of you to protect me. Especially with the stress of extra bounty hunters being after us."

Zoro opened his mouth to argue, but she pressed her hand over it. He was momentarily shocked into silence.

Her voice was low and serious when she spoke. "I _have _to do this. I need to know that I can fight at least one of them off."

"Nami…"

"_Please_. I know that you guys could just carry me kicking and screaming back to the ship if you really wanted to. And I admit, I'm not brave like you. I'm terrified. But I have to fight him to not only stop the nightmares, but to prove that this bounty isn't going to control my life. So – please let me do this."

"Are you done yet?"

At the bounty hunter's drawl, they all turned. Zoro looked down at Nami. Her chin was raised and her lips were pressed together in a thin line. He clenched his hand around the handle of his katana. The idea of standing to the side while she fought this bounty hunter went against every instinct he possessed. Zoro's eyes flicked to Sanji. He was staring at her too, likely having a similar dilemma.

Sanji looked up from Nami and met his gaze. Zoro flinched, but nonetheless nodded once. "Alright. Go beat up your bounty hunter."

Sanji patted her back. "Kick his ass."

Nami's face was white as she pulled the baro-brace onto her hand and assembled her clima-tact. She nodded once to each of them before taking a deep breath and stepping forward. Zoro and Sanji reluctantly stepped back. He watched as she walked across the grass towards the tall man. Her left hand was clenched around the stone of her bracelet and her right twirled her clima-tact. Her feet were still bare.

Her shoes were lying in the grass several feet away. They were some kind of strappy sandal with a heel. It was probably best that she wasn't wearing them. Before Zoro backed away further, he leaned down and plucked the shoes from the ground. Nami would probably be upset if she forgot them here. He tossed them in one of the bags and stepped back to join Sanji.

Jett's face had broken into a wide grin. "So you do want to fight me." He pressed one hand against the other, loudly cracking his fingers. "I must confess, I thought that you would refuse to fight." He switched hands, cracking his other fingers just as loudly. "This _is_ a pleasant surprise."

Zoro found himself clenching his own fingers around the hilt of his katana again. He glanced to his side. Sanji's arms were crossed, but his entire body was tense. Zoro shifted his weight between his feet. "Be ready to move. The second she looks like she is in danger, we need to be there."

"You don't need to tell me marimo head." Sanji muttered. "I'll get there before you do."

Zoro watched as Nami planted her feet evenly apart. Her knuckles were white where she gripped the clima-tact. "Just as long as someone gets there. I don't care who it is."

Sanji gave him a strange look. Zoro didn't dwell on it. He was too busy watching as Nami prepared to face off against the bounty hunter.

"Actually- we may have some competition if it comes time to intervene." Sanji's eyes were shifting around the park.

Zoro took a second to look. It didn't take him long to spy the dark haired woman sitting on a bench on the other side of the park. She was casually leaning back, but her gaze was fixed on the pair in the middle of the grass. Zoro smirked. Robin. Their blue-haired shipwright was leaning against a tree a few feet behind her. Chopper was a little ways off, in his four legged form, grazing on grass. He occasionally raised his head to look in their direction. Zoro was turning back to the pair in front of them when he spied one last figure. Their bushy haired crewmate was perched in a nearby tree, slingshot in hand.

"We're only missing Brook and Luffy."

Sanji shrugged, "Brook's probably still on the ship, and I would bet Luffy's napping somewhere. He made it abundantly clear at dinner the other night that he trusts us to take care of each other."

Zoro nodded. Almost all of their nakama were here. There was no way anything was going to happen to Nami.

She began to swirl her clima-tact above her. The branches of the nearest trees began to bend and sway as the wind picked up around them. Nami and Jett stood at the center of the funnel of wind. Nami's orange hair was whipping around her. Jett's shirt was tugged in the wind, but he didn't move.

Sanji murmured beside him, "He has to be an idiot to think that he will be able to walk away from this. If Nami doesn't flatten him, there are about six other people here who will."

A dark cloud began to materialize above them. It was about at that moment that the park began to clear. Park-goers scrambled from the benches and from the grass in search of shelter. Jett still didn't move. Zoro frowned, an ominous feeling growing in his gut. Sanji had a point. Was this guy an idiot? Or did he have something else planned? Zoro took a step forward, but forced himself to stop. Nami could handle this. She had already whipped up a substantial storm.

The cloud above her began to flicker with white light. Jett raised his voice to shout over the wind. "I didn't tell you how I fight. Don't you want to know?"

Nami didn't pause the movement of her clima-tact when she replied. "Sure. How do you fight? Though you are running out of time to show me." The cloud above her began to crackle, as individual streaks of lightning arched through it.

"I'm a devil fruit user you know. I ate the Tobu Tobu fruit. Maybe you should take me a bit more seriously."

Zoro tensed, but Nami proceeded to swirl her clima-tact faster. "I've never heard of it."

Zoro hadn't heard of it either. He leaned forward. He didn't like this.

But Nami didn't give Jett a chance to explain. She halted the spinning of her clima-tact and slapped her left palm against it. When the weerlig stone in her bracelet met her clima-tact, a crackling erupted. Without pause, she lifted both above her head. "Thunderbolt tempo!"

With a blinding flash, a thick bolt of lightning struck down upon her opponent. Zoro blinked, trying to clear the glare from the bolt out of his eyes. Where Jett had stood, there was a patch of black, singed grass. But the man was not there. Zoro blinked. Jett was standing next to Nami. She swung her clima-tact at him and he disappeared again.

Zoro pulled one of his katana loose.

Jett instantly reappeared several feet away. "See, after I ate the Tobu Tobu fruit, I found that I could jump – or teleport really – from one place to another." The side of his lips pulled back into an unnerving half smile. "I can teleport up to a mile away. No one's ever been able to touch me."

The next instant he was standing beside Nami again. She cried out, thrusting her palm with the weerlig stone at his chest. He stopped the assault by grabbing her arm. Zoro was already running. Jett looked over Nami's shoulder and met Zoro's eyes. His smile widened. "Goodbye." They both disappeared.

Zoro skidded to a stop. The place where Jett and Nami had just stood was empty. Robin, Franky, and Chopper were already running from the other side of the park. He could hear Sanji's footsteps behind him. Usopp dropped from the tree.

Zoro swore and turned in a swift circle. They were gone.

"You shitty, shitty marimo!"

Zoro turned to deflect Sanji's kick.

"Stop!" Robin slid between them. "You heard him! He can only go a mile! We have to start searching within a mile of here. Now!"

She was right. Zoro turned to Chopper. "Chopper! Can you smell her?"

The deer shook his head. "Only from when she stood here. I might be able to pick up her scent if I start looking."

"Okay. I'll follow you. Let's go."

Robin spoke up. "Everyone else, split up! We'll cover more ground."

The crew gave quick nods before sprinting out of the park in various directions. Chopper took off down a side street and Zoro followed him at a run. He kept his eyes trained on Chopper, determined not to take a single wrong turn. They had to find Nami as soon as possible. The bounty hunter she was up against was more formidable that he had at first seemed. And furthermore, he was smart enough to know that he needed to get Nami alone to have any chance of succeeding.

Zoro swore again as he raced after Chopper. Nami was in danger and it was his fault for letting it happen. Chopper sped up and Zoro pushed himself to run faster. _Hold on Nami. We're coming._

* * *

Thanks for reading! Next up will be Nami's point of view. How will she fare against the Sobra Jett? We shall see :)


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: One Piece does not belong to me, it belongs to Oda.

Oh my gosh, thank you all so much for the reviews. My weekend was kind of busy, so this update took a bit longer. But here it is! I hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 13:

* * *

Sharp rocks and pebbles dug into the soles of her feet. Nami blinked. The park was gone. It had been replaced with a barren, rocky slope. She felt the pressure of Jett's fingers around her arm and jerked back. He released her easily. She fell back onto the rocks.

The rough ground dug into her hands and back as she scrambled backwards. But Jett didn't move to pursue her. He was bent forward, pale hands gripping his legs.

Nami glanced back. They weren't far from the edge of town – though he had gotten them close to an isolated inlet. The small bay lay at the bottom of the rocky slope, and within it floated a lone ship. She presumed it was his.

Jett was still bent forward. His shoulders heaved as he took in deep breaths of air.

"Jumping this far takes a lot out of you, huh?" As she spoke, she reached back to press herself to her feet. Once standing, she leveled her clima-tact at him.

His voice was strained. "Carrying another with me takes a lot of energy."

Nami tightened her grip around the clima-tact. "That's too bad. Since you seem a bit tired, I think I'll just go back to town now."

He coughed, "That's why they're here."

Her ears caught the sharp sound of a displaced pebble rolling down the slope behind her. Nami turned. Two individuals stood between her and the town. She stepped back. Where had they come from?

Jett continued speaking, "My associates. They will make sure you get on the ship while I recuperate."

Nami glanced between the two individuals standing on the slope. The man on the left was short and muscular. His fists were pressed against one another. The sharp point of the knuckles on his right hand caught the sun's glare. From the wrist down, his right hand appeared to be made completely of metal.

Standing on the right was a woman who was only slightly taller than the man, though the ponytail on the top of her head gave the illusion of height. In each of her hands, she held a long, curved blade. Her lips spread back in a smile as sharp as the blades she carried.

Her voice was amused. "_This_ is the target? She quakes like a scared little girl."

Jett's voice was strained. "Isadora, _shut up_. Just do your job and get her on the ship."

The woman scowled and flicked her ponytail to the side. "She's not worth my energy. You take care of it Cabo."

The man with the iron fist grimaced. His voice was deep and he spoke slowly. "I hate it when you get like this. But I will do it. I always do my job." His hands dropped to his side as he took heavy steps toward her.

Nami raised her shaking hands to level her clima-tact at him. She squeezed the metal in an attempt to still her hands. It didn't work. Both the man and the woman seemed strong. She would have to defeat them before Jett regained his strength. Nami swallowed. She wasn't sure if she could defeat them at all.

"Come on girlie, let's go to the ship. Make this easier on yourself. Don't put up a fight."

Nami twisted her clima-tact. "Thunder charge."

His iron fist swung like a pendulum as he approached. When he was still several feet away, he swung his fist suddenly downward. It struck the rocky slope with a resounding crack and sent a miniature avalanche of rocks and dirt towards her.

Nami planted her clima-tact in the ground, and used it as a lever to propel herself over the initial wave of debris. The second she landed, she felt the air move behind her. He was fast. Nami tucked her clima-tact close to her chest as she rolled to the side. She used the momentum from her roll to push herself onto her knees, and then jump to her feet. Cabo stood several feet away, his fist still raised.

Nami brushed her hand over the tip of her clima tact. The Weerlig stone in her bracelet began to buzz as it picked up the electricity from the end of the rod. Cabo charged. Nami dove to the side. Rocks and gravel flew as he dug his foot into the ground, turning sharply. She hit the ground hard. He was still coming. Nami rolled to the side. His fist struck the ground right beside her.

That was her chance. As he pulled his fist back to strike again, Nami lunged forward. The barest touch from the Weerlig stone to a knuckle on his iron fist was all it took. He screamed as electricity crackled through his fist, traveling up his arm, and then through his whole body. Nami jumped back. Iron was a decent conductor of electricity. He had been stupid to attack her straight on.

Cabo's body convulsed once more before he fell stiffly backwards.

"Cabo!"

The woman's scream was all the warning she received before the two blades sliced at her face. Nami heaved her clima-tact up just in time. The blades' metal screamed as they slid over it. Before Nami had the chance to return the attack, the woman pulled back, twisting to the side. Without pausing, she rolled past Nami. Nami was only able to see the barest flash of metal before pain blossomed on her side. A red stain began to spread across her shirt where the blade had passed her.

Nami raised her arm with the baro-brace and slashed it diagonally through the air. A powerful gust of air struck Isadora head on. The woman shrieked as she tumbled down the slope. Within seconds, she stabbed a sword heavily into the ground and used the blade to slow her fall.

Nami winced as she pressed a hand against the wound. It didn't feel deep, but it still hurt like hell. She bit her lip and forced herself to turn back to her opponent. She dragged her hand away from the wound, wrapping her bloody fingers once more around her clima-tact. Her side pulsated with pain – she had a whole new appreciation for Zoro's ability to fight while covered in cuts and bruises.

Isadora titled her head from side to side, sharply cracking her neck. She sneered up at Nami as she lifted her blades. "You hurt my comrade and now you're trying my patience."

"Isadora. Don't be dramatic. Just get her on the boat." Jett was standing off to the side. He was still slightly bent, but his voice was stronger.

Isadora's lips pulled back into a wicked grin. "I just want to cut her up a bit first."

Jett sighed. "As long as she's not dead."

Isadora licked her lips. "A shallow cut still inflicts pain."

Nami resolutely began to spin her clima-tact. The woman tracked its movement with sharp eyes. She leaned smoothly from side to side as she twirled her blades. A dark cloud began to take shape above them. Nami spun faster. She needed to whip up a powerful lighting storm. Like her partner's fist, the woman's blades would be reasonable conductors of electricity. When held up, they would function as lightning rods.

The clouds were just beginning to take a cumulonimbus shape when Isadora sprinted towards her. Nami paused her spinning long enough to twist her baro-brace out and up. A winding gust of air tore its way down the side of the hill. Isadora leapt forward, twisting her body over the swirling air. She rolled to her feet and kept running.

Nami glanced up. The clouds were still forming. She hoped that she had done enough to allow the thunder heads to complete development on their own.

Isadora sliced her blades towards her other side. Nami thrust the clima-tact down, deflecting the blades. But like the time before, Isadora dropped into a roll. Nami leapt back. The blade sliced inches away from her.

Isadora slid to a stop, one knee buried in the dirt. Her eyes widened as they focused on something behind her. Nami pivoted quickly. A fist struck her gut.

Nami was thrown backwards and rolled heavily down the slope. She dug her fingers into the hard dirt as she attempted to slow her fall. Her nails were torn and the tips of her fingers raw by the time she finally stopped her rolling.

Cabo stood halfway up the slope. His clothes were singed and his shoulders were heaving. The fist that had sent her flying was still blackened from the electricity that had coursed through it.

Isadora chuckled. "Cabo! I was sure you were a goner."

He rubbed a hand over his iron fist. "Takes more than a bit of electricity to bring me down."

Nami's arms shook as she pushed herself up. If the storm she was brewing came into fruition, it would serve up a lot more than _a bit_ of electricity. Nami glanced at the sky. It wasn't forming fast enough. She looked behind her. Her clima-tact lay further down the slope. Its blue metal contrasted sharply with the grey stones beneath it.

Nami touched her bracelet. Usopp and Franky had been right to worry about her needing a weapon that couldn't get knocked out of her hands during a fight. As she fingered the bracelet's intricate metal design, warmth flooded through her. Usopp and Franky had gone to great lengths to make her an ideal weapon. And they had made it because they believed that she would be able to use it to fight off bounty hunters. Usopp's high pitched voice echoed in her head. _It took all of the great Usopp's considerable inventing ability, but it will be worth it to see you beat up a few bounty hunters_.

Nami closed her eyes. She could still see the expression on Zoro and Sanji's faces when they had agreed to let her fight. Their shoulders were tense, but their eyes had been alight with pride. They believed in her too.

Furthermore, there were the countless mornings Zoro had spent training with her. He had continually pushed her to improve, yet had always managed to catch her before she fell. Nami swallowed. He wasn't here to catch her now.

As she stared at the two opponents above her, Nami's hands balled into fists. Her nakama, they all believed in her, wanted her to succeed. She knew that they were likely scouring the island for her at this very moment, wanting simply to ensure her safety. And Nami knew that despite believing in her, they would be eager to face these opponents on her behalf. They wouldn't hesitate to risk themselves for her.

Nami's fists tightened. They wouldn't risk themselves. Not today. She was going to bring these bounty hunters down herself.

With a strengthened resolution, Nami planted her feet. She glanced once more behind her. She didn't think she would be able to reach her clima-tact before Isadora and Cabo reached her. When she looked back up, the pair had already begun to make their way down the slope. The clouds were still growing overhead. Nami crouched. She was going to have to do her best to evade their attacks while the clouds continued to grow. Perhaps she could keep them distracted long enough so that they would be unprepared for the onslaught of lightning.

Jett's voiced reached her. "You're making this harder than it needs to be. Just get on the ship."

Nami ignored him as she continued to watch Isadora and Cabo's approach. Isadora's feet tapped rapidly against the ground as she began to pick up speed. Cabo continued to lumber towards her in a straight path while Isadora weaved back and forth just ahead of him.

Nami crouched lower, pressing her fingers into the dirt. It was a distraction tactic. Isadora meant to draw her attention with her rapid movement so that when Cabo picked up speed to attack, Nami wouldn't see it coming.

Sure enough, at the last moment Cabo sprinted forward. He moved faster than his thick, compact figure would suggest. Nami sliced her arm in a sharp arc before dodging to the side. A rolling ball of air struck his chest, pushing him several yards backwards. Nami heard the scraping sound of feet sliding over gravel and rolled again. Blades stabbed the earth beside her. She repeated her arm's arcing motion. Isadora yanked the blades from the ground and jumped out of the ball of air's swirling path.

Isadora was running forward to attack again when the hairs on the back of Nami's neck and arms began to stand. She tensed. This was it. The muscles in Isadora's arm flexed as she raised one of her long blades. The slope was engulfed in light.

A rumbling roar reverberated off the rocks as multiple thick branches of lightning struck down at once. Both Isadora and Cabo's figures were encased within the crackling tendrils of electricity. Isadora's sword and Cabo's fist had drawn the lightning perfectly.

As the supercharged bolts began to slow and fade, Nami raised her hand, trapping the last tendrils of electricity within her bracelet's clear stone. Cabo and Isadora's prone figures were still. For a moment, all was silent.

"You really are becoming a pain." Jett's voice sounded from down the slope, but in the next moment he stood in front of her.

Nami stepped back. He disappeared again and she found herself backing into him. His arms wrapped around her. She opened her palm, swinging the electrified stone back at him. Jett disappeared again, reappearing several feet away.

"I told you. No one can harm me."

"Except for when you're too tired to move."

Jett shrugged. "The big jump was a bit far. But my strength's coming back. Luckily, all I have to do now is get you to the ship. That's not far at all."

Jett appeared beside her. Nami jumped back. The crunch of rocks sounded behind her. She rolled to the side.

He laughed. "This is pathetic. You can't dodge me forever."

But Nami was only half listening. Just before he had appeared behind her, the air had felt…different. She wasn't sure she could even properly describe it. There had been a slight outward pressure. As if the air around where he was about to appear was displaced milliseconds before he arrived there.

He disappeared. There it was again. The pressure was on her right. She jumped back as he appeared right in the place of the atmospheric discrepancy. Nami felt it at her back. She slid to the left.

Jett appeared where she had previously stood. He was frowning. "You're awfully lucky."

Nami narrowed her eyes as a satisfied grin settled on her features. She had him now.

Jett's face darkened at her grin. He disappeared and she felt the pressure on her left. Not yet. She dodged to the side. He appeared for a second before rapidly disappearing again. The air pushed out directly in front of her. Perfect.

Nami raised her arm, slamming her palm with the Weerlig stone forward. His figure appeared just in time to be struck by the crackling stone. His eyes were wide with shock as his body shook under the throes of strong electric currents.

Nami yanked her hand back. Without pause, she sliced the air diagonally. Her bracelet caught the wind, sending a powerful gust of air at his falling figure. She watched as he tumbled down the slope, finally coming to a stop near the bottom. He didn't move.

Nami let out a ragged breath as her hand fall to her side. She did it.

"Nami."

She turned. Zoro and Chopper stood at the top of the slope. They must have arrived in time to see the very end of the fight. Zoro had two swords out and Chopper stood in his heavy point form. Zoro's head turned as he scanned the area, likely checking to make sure there were no enemies left to fight.

Within moments, Zoro and Chopper were quickly making their way down the slope towards her. Zoro froze several feet away. He was looking at her side. Nami glanced down. Half of her shirt was now red.

"Chopper! Nami's hurt!" His tone was panicked, but he barked the words out like an order.

Nami tenderly touched her side. Now that her attention had been brought back to it, the pain resumed in earnest. It still didn't seem that deep though.

She held her hand over it as Chopper reverted to his brain point and proceeded to run around, panicked. She raised her voice, "Don't worry. It's not very deep."

Zoro frowned as he carefully pulled up the bottom of her shirt. A thin slice, several inches long, ran along her side. Zoro sighed. The tension is his body visibly lessened.

"No. It's shallow." He turned to Chopper. "Oi! Stop panicking. It's not a bad cut. Come over here and patch it up."

Chopper heaved a sigh of relief and started to pull off his backpack. Zoro was looking at the two charred figures on the slope and the still teleporter lying at its base.

Nami broke out in a tired, but triumphant grin. "Zoro. I did it – I beat them all."

He turned and looked down at her. His expression was one that she didn't recognize. His lips turned slightly up at the corners as the skin at the edge of his eyes crinkled. His brows drew together. His eyes seemed to be taking in her every feature. The expression was inexplicably gentle.

Nami went still underneath his gaze. She was used to Zoro's expressions of anger, frustration, laughter, amusement, contentment, and even sadness. For every expression, Nami had a reaction. It was like a well-rehearsed script. But this – this one was new. Nami had no idea what she was supposed to do.

Nami held her breath. She had to admit, she liked this new expression.

"Uh, Nami?"

Nami started at Chopper's voice. He stood beside her.

"Can you sit down? I can't reach your side."

"Oh. Of course."

Zoro turned as Nami quickly sat down. Pain flared in her side at the sudden movement.

"Ah! Move slowly! You'll aggravate it."

Nami winced as she held her side. "I wish you had told me that two seconds ago."

Zoro's face broke out in a grin as he glanced back down the slope. "At least those guys are a lot worse off than you." He crossed his arms as he narrowed his eyes at their still forms. "They should have known not to mess with our navigator."

Nami felt heat rise in her cheeks. As Chopper raised his voice in agreement, Zoro's eyes held hers for another moment.

"Nami!"

They both turned at Luffy's raucous shout. Their captain held a hand on top of his hat as he slid down the slope. His face was dark.

"Usopp found me. He said there were some bounty hunters we needed to beat up." Luffy raised an arm as he looked around them. His arm dropped as he noticed the fallen figures.

Zoro spoke up. "Nami already took care of them."

Luffy's mouth dropped open in a comically wide circle as he took in the bounty hunter's singed appearances. "Wooooow! Nami! Nice job!" He laughed. "This deserves a party."

Nami closed her eyes as Chopper continued to wrap her side. A party sounded good, but a nap sounded better. She leaned back, letting the voices of her three nakama soothe her into a well-deserved rest. Her last thought as she drifted off, was that she was getting to be as bad as Luffy and Zoro. Usually they were the ones to drop to sleep only moments after a battle. With that thought she smiled and fell into her first restful sleep in a long while.

* * *

Thanks so much for reading! The action is definitely starting to increase! It is getting pretty exciting to write :) As always, reviews and critiques are appreciated!


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: One Piece does not belong to me, it belongs to Oda.

Once again, thank you all for the lovely reviews! We're back to Zoro's point of view here :)

Chapter 14:

* * *

The sun had sunk low on the horizon by the time Zoro returned to the ship. He stepped onto the deck and dropped the bag beside him. It landed with a muted thud.

The entire ship was engulfed in action. Franky and Usopp were walking between the dining room and the deck, methodically transporting the chairs and table outside. Robin's arms had sprouted all over the deck and were meticulously pinning streamers and balloons over the rails. Brook stood at the end of the ship. His skeletal fingers plucked at his instrument as he muttered potential lyrics under his breath. The banging in the kitchen was an indication of the truly spectacular feast that Sanji was endeavoring to create. And Luffy – Zoro glanced up. Luffy was attempting to cover their entire mast in balloons. Zoro sighed. The ship was beginning to look like some kind of disturbed carnival.

Nami and Chopper were the only ones missing. He wondered if Chopper was still seeing to Nami's injuries. The cut on her side had been the worst wound, but it was clear she had other minor injuries. It was after Zoro had assured himself of the shallowness of the wound at her side that he had noticed her other injuries. As she sat down, he had seen her fingers. Her nails were cracked, and the tips were raw and bloody. When she had laid back and Chopper had pulled up her shirt, he saw that a dark bruise was already developing on her stomach.

Zoro's stomach clenched at the memory. At the time, he had been sorely tempted to dunk the bounty hunters in the sea. He had reasoned that the shock of the water might wake them up, and then he would be able kick their asses all over again.

But when Nami had finally woken, she had given Zoro a particular request – an order really. The first thing she did after opening her eyes was tell him to go loot their ship, saying that she was in too much pain to do it herself. Of course, she had held her side and winced as she said it. So Zoro had stalked down to their ship, muttering under his breath the whole way there.

There really wasn't much of value on their ship anyway. He had come across a small chest of jewels and a few other pricey looking knick-knacks in each of their rooms. It was in Sobra Jett's quarters that he had come across the most interesting discovery. Sitting on top of the clutter on his desk, was a picture he knew well. Nami's bounty poster smiled up at him. There was a note attached to it. Written in clear print, the message simply stated: _Your next target. Follow the previous instructions_. Zoro had dug through the entire desk, but had found no trace of the instructions the note spoke of. After that, he had quickly folded both the bounty and the note, tucking them away in his pocket. He didn't know what to make of the note and had saved it in the hope that either Nami or Robin might have a guess as to what it meant. Though he was certain it could be nothing good.

Zoro had quickly left their ship, intending to ask the bounty hunters a few questions about the note. But when he arrived back on land, the three bounty hunters were gone. He guessed Jett had teleported them somewhere.

After that, he had made his way back to the ship. He only made a couple accidental detours; one to the park, and one back to the small bay. But he was back at last.

Zoro allowed himself a moment to adjust to the chaos of the party preparations before lifting the bag of treasure up again. He decided to look for Nami in the sick bay first. He pushed open the thick wooden door to find Chopper disposing of a pile of bloody bandages. Zoro cringed as he remembered his own experiences of being forced into bandages.

Chopper looked up. "Oh, hello Zoro. Nami just left a little bit ago. She's probably getting ready for the party."

Zoro nodded once, giving the bandages one last weary look before leaving. He quickly crossed the deck and rapped sharply on the door to the girl's quarters. There were muffled footsteps and the door was yanked open.

Zoro flinched as he was once again greeted by the damn bloody shirt. He had hoped she would have at least had time to change. His eyes felt like they were glued to the dark stain that spread across her side.

It wasn't that he had a problem with blood. Hell, he saw plenty of his own. If he had to guess, he would say that it had something to do with the fact that it was Nami's blood. When he had first seen the signs of her injury, he had felt instant and overpowering worry. His mind had conjured up images of terrible gashes that might lie beneath her shirt. He had only calmed when he had verified for himself that the cut was relatively shallow. But seeing the shirt now – even though he knew her injuries were patched – still gave him echoes of that initial fear.

Zoro blinked. Nami was waving her hand in front of his face. "Zoro? Did I break you too?"

He shook his head and held up the bag. "Here's your treasure."

Nami's eyes lit up as she quickly snatched the bag. She dropped to the ground and immediately began rifling through it. She broke into a wide grin when she opened the chest and discovered the sparkling jewels inside. She ran a hand over the gems' shiny surfaces. Nami beamed up at him. "These jewels feel _almost_ as good as winning my first fight against a bounty hunter."

Zoro chuckled, "You may have earned them today."

"Will you bring me more jewels next time I win a fight?" She concluded the question with a playful wink.

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Ehh, we'll see." He knew better than to make Nami any promises when it came to treasure and jewels.

She laughed.

Zoro ran a hand along his pants. The folded bounty poster and note were still tucked in his pocket. He had planned on showing it to Nami now. But she looked so happy sitting there on the floor with her treasure spread out around her. He didn't want to give her one more thing to worry about – especially since the party tonight was in her honor.

He decidedly let his hand fall. He would show her tomorrow. She deserved a night of fun.

Nami stood and began tossing everything back in the bag. She heaved it over her shoulder and turned back to her room. She called back as she stumbled through the doorway, "I have to get ready. Tell Robin to join me!" The door closed heavily behind her.

Zoro strolled back to the deck. Robin was still working on the streamers, but she glanced up at Zoro's approach.

"Nami wants you to join her."

Robin pursed her lips as she tied the end of a streamer around a rail. She stood after she tied it in a tight knot. She smiled, "I'm done now anyway."

Zoro had begun to walk away when she called after him. "Chopper told me you were pretty worried today."

Zoro paused. He didn't like that tone. It reminded him of the knowing smile she had given him the other day.

"Chopper said he hasn't seen you that scared in a while."

Zoro glanced back. There was the smile again. He raised his shoulders as he stalked away. "I don't get scared."

* * *

Zoro woke to the rich, warm tone of a violin. He cracked an eye open. They sky was lit in hues of pink and purple. Sunset. The deck was already crowded with the crew.

Brook stood off to the side, head bent low over his violin as his thin fingers expertly weaved the bow atop it. Luffy and Usopp were taking full advantage of the buffet of food Sanji had made, while Chopper and Franky danced at the center of the deck. The love cook was already serving Robin and Nami colorful drinks.

As Sanji stepped out of the way, Zoro got a full view of the navigator. He sat up. Dark purple straps enfolded her shoulders. It was the dress he had picked at the shop. His eyes trailed down. The dress's delicate fabric wrapped around her body and lay lightly against her skin. Zoro's face felt warm. He hadn't been lying when he said the color of the outfit in Alabasta had looked nice. But this – this was something else entirely.

He watched as she raised her drink and took a slow sip. The wide glass obscured all of her features, save for her eyes. Mid sip, they flicked up and met his own. Zoro started; and then immediately cursed himself for allowing something so innocuous to startle him.

Nami stood, giving him a bemused look. She held her drink in one hand and grabbed a mug of sake with the other. Both drinks in hand, she walked across the deck towards him. Zoro crossed his arms. He hoped his face wasn't as red as it felt. What was wrong with him?

Expertly balancing the alcohol, Nami slid down beside him. She passed him the mug with a smile. He quickly nodded his thanks before taking a big swig of the bitter liquid. He found himself noticing the particular way the material clung to her shoulders and draped across her chest. He took another big swig.

Nami raised her eyebrows. "You didn't tell me we were having a drinking contest tonight."

He took another, albeit smaller, drink. "You're still healing. It wouldn't be right to drink you under the table."

Nami scoffed. "The only one under the table would be you. Back when I was trying to pay off Arlong, I made a decent amount of money challenging pirates to drinking contests. I would come in with a big bag of money and start giggling after my first drink. Then I challenged the biggest pirate there to a drinking contest – with a cash prize for the winner of course." She winked and took a sip of her drink.

He shook his head. "You play dirty."

She shrugged, "I was trying to save my town. Of course I was going to play dirty."

"You still do."

She smirked as she took another drink. "Old habits die hard."

Zoro leaned back. Her face was bathed in the muted, pastel light that comes just after sunset. "I think you like outsmarting everyone. You want to be the most clever."

She smiled and looked down at her drink. "That too, I suppose." She sipped once. "No one can make a fool out of you if you're the smartest."

Brook's slow notes filled the silence between them. Zoro cradled his mug.

"Are you doing okay?"

She leaned back beside him. "I feel amazing. After beating them, it's like I've won back control over my life."

Zoro grinned. "That's good. But I was talking about this." His finer lightly touched her side.

It was hard to tell in the dim light, but he thought her cheeks might have flushed red.

"Oh. It's not bad. Chopper wrapped it up well."

"And your fingers?"

"They're okay." She held up a hand. Several fingers were bandaged and the rest were an angry shade of red. "I might have to take a few days off from doing any cartography."

Zoro fingered the handle of his mug. "You know, I would have fought him– fought all three of them." He added as an afterthought, "Luffy and the love cook would have fought them too. Actually - I'm pretty sure everyone would have taken them on."

He glanced at her fingers and side. "You didn't have to get those. Fighting - it's one of the few things I'm really good at. I could have fought them for you, and you wouldn't have gotten hurt."

Her voice was quiet when she replied. "I know you would have. You protect all of us." She finished her drink. "But I'm not that breakable you know. I can handle a few cuts and bruises." Nami set the glass to the side. "Besides, I needed to prove that _I could_ do it."

Zoro nodded slowly. He didn't like it, but he understood. How many times had he gone into fights, determined to prove to himself that he had become a stronger swordsman?

"Next time we have to fight, you're going to leave some opponents for the rest of us right? I hope you don't rush ahead to take out everyone."

Nami waved her hand. "Please. When have I ever rushed into anything? My self-preservation instinct is too strong. You guys are more than welcome to continue strong-arming the bad guys. Maybe after this though, you guys won't have to check on me every five minutes to make sure I haven't run into trouble."

Zoro shrugged. "We still might."

She raised her eyebrows.

He smiled, repeating her own words back to her, "Old habits."

They were interrupted by Sanji's call. "Nami, what are you doing hanging out with the party-pooper marmimo?"

Zoro slammed down his empty mug. "What did you call me?"

"A shitty, party pooper. We are halfway into Nami's party and you only just woke up from your nap."

"I just wanted to miss your terrible food."

Sanji scowled. "Say that again marimo head!"

Zoro fully intended to repeat the sentence word-for-word, but Nami abruptly stood. She raised her glass. "More drinks!"

Sanji scrambled to oblige her request as Zoro pulled himself to his feet. More drinks didn't sound bad. Nami was already on her way back to the festivities. He hadn't been able to see it before, but now he could clearly see that the dress hung low on her back. The loose fabric left a significant portion of her back's smooth skin bare. She glanced over her shoulder. "You coming?"

Zoro bent to pick up his mug and followed her. He definitely needed a drink - or five.

* * *

Thanks for reading! This chapter definitely feels a bit slow compared to the last one, but this chapter really is the calm before the storm ;) (Well maybe the next few chapters are) But I do promise that the plot is continuing to build :)


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: One Piece does not belong to me, it belongs to Oda.

Thank you all for the reviews! It is so nice to read them. I've been updating pretty fast and furiously because for the first time in a long while, I've actually got some free time (yay!). I finished my undergrad degree early and I've yet to start grad school. The idea for this story struck pretty recently, so I'm trying really hard to get it out while I do still have some time on my hands :) (Also - writing it is turning out to be a lot of fun...so its kind of hard to stop)

And that was basically a long winded, mostly unnecessary explanation for why this little story's updates have been coming so quickly. Enjoy the next chapter :)

Chapter 15:

* * *

_Your next target. Follow the previous instructions._

Nami stared down at the printed words. She blinked and read over them again.

"I found it attached to one of your bounty posters. It was on Sobra Jett's desk."

Nami fingered the note as she stared down at the table. What did it mean? Bounty hunters didn't typically answer to anyone. Who was giving those three hunters their orders?

"Let me see."

Nami wordlessly passed the note to Robin. Franky and Chopper leaned in on either side of her to get a look. After breakfast, Zoro had called a crew-wide meeting to show Nami the note and to discuss its implications. Now the entire crew was crowded around the dining room table.

"What does it say?" Unwilling to wait his turn, Luffy stretched his neck across the table. He tilted his head to the side as he read, mouthing the words to himself. His eyebrows creased together and his head tilted further. "Eh? What does that mean?"

Zoro glanced towards her. "I don't know."

Nami tapped a finger as she thought aloud. "At the very least, it tells us that they were taking orders from someone."

Robin spoke up. "It also means that there is more to Nami's bounty than we originally thought." She passed the note around the table. "The person giving the orders may very well be the same individual who raised your bounty. Which begs the question: what exactly is it that they are trying to achieve?"

Nami frowned. That was indeed the question. The only piece of information that she did have, was that they seemed to be interested in keeping her alive. She recalled Kikori's mutterings about 'alive being preferable' and how Jett had insisted that Isadora not kill her. But what did it mean?

"It seems like the bounty hunters are being pressured to keep me alive."

Usopp's lips turned down. "But they are bounty hunters, why would they care about that?"

Nami shook her head.

Sanji lit a cigarette. "And why is Nami at the center of all of this? What do they want with her?"

Robin's blue eyes flicked in her direction. She paused. "I'm not entirely sure that this is even about Nami at all. Do you remember what I said when all of this started? The quickest way to cripple a crew is to eliminate their navigator. The problem is, that doesn't explain why they would be so driven to keep her alive."

"So they have another motive." Usopp was rubbing his chin.

Luffy scratched his head. "A mystery motive?"

Robin folded her hands on the table, giving their captain a small smile. "For now it is a mystery, yes. But we will figure it out."

"We'd better." Zoro crossed his arms. "It feels like we're walking blind. I don't like it."

Nami didn't like it either. She was about to say so, when the room suddenly pitched to the side. Table, chairs, and pirates slid sideways, landing in an unceremonious heap. Nami yelped when a large body fell on top of her.

Without warning, the ship tilted in the opposite direction, sending everything and everyone sliding across the room. Luffy expanded at the last moment, cushioning his crewmate's falls. The ship groaned as it slowly began to right itself. The floor was still slightly tilted when Nami scrambled to her feet and sprinted across the room. She yanked the door back. Her mouth fell open.

They had only been inside for a few minutes, yet the ship was now surrounded by dark, rolling clouds. Nami gripped the doorway as a strong wind tore around her. Tall waves rose up on either side of them.

"Everyone! On deck _now_!"

Her hair whipped around her face as she struggled towards the railing on the upper deck. It made no sense. The storm had come out of nowhere, and grown to a massive scale almost instantaneously. She wrapped her hands around the rail as the crew poured out onto the deck.

The ship's white sails billowed rapidly back and forth as ropes and metal fastenings thrashed violently in the wind. The mast groaned as a massive gust of air pounded the sails.

"Luffy! Zoro! Hoist the sails! _Hurry_!" Nami looked up with wide eyes. If the sails caught another gust like that, they risked the mast splitting altogether. Zoro and Luffy jumped down onto the deck. The ship pitched sideways as another wave rose on their right. "Sanji! Turn the ship starboard! We'll capsize if we keep getting hit like this!"

"Yes Nami-San!"

Nami ducked as a loose rope dangling a large metal fastening swung overhead. "Robin! Try to secure the fastenings!"

Sanji's legs bent as he struggled to still the large wheel at the helm. "Franky! Help Sanji!"

"You got it, Nee-chan!"

Nami watched as various odd objects slid around the deck. "Usopp, Chopper, Brook! Tie down any loose objects on deck!" The last three crewmembers jumped down onto the deck, and began grabbing at loose objects as they slid by.

Nami held tight to the rail as the ship began to slowly turn. With a guttural roar, a wave crashed over the side of the deck. Robin was struck head on by the salty water. The dark haired woman gasped. The limbs she had sprouted suddenly disappeared. The ropes and fastenings once again whipped around the deck as the archaeologist, weakened by the ocean water, struggled to hold onto the ship.

Franky turned to help the struggling archaeologist, releasing his grip on the helm's wheel. The ship shuddered as Sanji attempted to control it alone.

A sharp crack drew Nami's attention. She turned just in time to see Usopp crumple to the deck. A loose fastening whipped above him. A red stain was spreading beneath his head.

"Usopp!" Nami slid down the stairs, making her way towards the fallen straw-hat. Even from a distance, she could see the gash the metal fastening had left on the side of his head. Her only thought was that he had better be okay.

Nami had almost reached him when another wave poured over the side of the ship. As the frigid water pulled back, it dragged Usopp's unconscious body with it.

"No!" Nami dove, reaching desperately for his bright yellow overalls. Her hand found material and she closed her fingers around it, gripping tightly. Nami grabbed for the side of the ship as she and the sniper continued sliding toward the edge. She managed to wrap her arm around the ship's side rail as she held Usopp by one of his suspenders. They were immediately submerged as the ship took on another wave. Nami clung to both Usopp and the ship as the water rushed back and forth.

She coughed up water as she looked for help. Zoro was halfway up the mast, still working to tie up a sail.

The wind was screaming around her. "Zoro!"

The storm completely drowned out her cry.

Another wave poured around them. This time Usopp's body was almost tugged out of her grasp. "Luffy!" The water rushed back. "Sanji!" No one could hear her.

Nami screamed in frustration. The cry died on her lips as loose rope floated by. Nami quickly released rail, making a grab for it. If she couldn't get Usopp to safety, then at least she could make sure he wouldn't get washed away.

Working quickly Nami wrapped the rope around Usopp's midsection, tying him against the rail. He was bent at the waist and his head dangled limply forward. It wouldn't be comfortable, but he would be safe. Nami leaned over the knot, pulling it tight. She had just released the rope when a body of water struck her solidly in the back.

Nami grabbed at the rail. The thin wood slipped between her fingers. In seconds, she was swept up in the icy water and plunged into the churning sea below.

The noise of the storm was instantly cut off as she dropped into the deep water. For the briefest moment, it was oddly peaceful; sinking down into the eerily silent world of the sea. There was a muted thud as a wave crashed down above her. She spun limply downward. Nami continued spinning as the ocean's strong currents swirled around her. Bubbles streamed out of her mouth as she frantically kicked, but she could no longer tell which direction was up.

Nami resolutely kicked at the salty water. An ache spread across her chest as she cupped her hands and dug them through the water. Her lungs were burning. Still, she kicked.

Just as spots were beginning to dance across her vision, Nami's head broke the surface of the water. She gasped, sucking in a mouthful of air. When the saltwater cleared from her eyes, she found herself staring at a tanned face. Wet, green hair was plastered to his forehead. She felt Zoro's arm wrap around her as he pulled her to his side. His voice was hoarse. "Thank God."

She wrapped a shaking arm around his shoulder. Her teeth were chattering, but she managed to stutter, "I thought you didn't believe in one."

They were knocked sideways by a wayward wave. Nami kicked, treading water, as Zoro's arm tightened around her. "We need to get back to the ship."

They kicked together as they struggled through the churning water. When they were several yards from the ship, Luffy's arm stretched down to them. The rubbery limb wrapped around both of them twice before yanking them out of the water. They landed heavily on the deck.

The navigator and the swordsman panted as they lay beside one another. The wind had already begun to die down and the waves around the ship were rapidly shrinking. Nami turned to look at the man beside her. His eyes were closed and his arms were stretched above him. His shirt was plastered to his chest, which rose and fell somewhat faster than normal. He roughly cleared his throat. "I wasn't sure if I could find you." His eyes opened and he stared up at the sky. "You went under and didn't come back up."

Nami touched his arm. His dark eyes shifted to her.

"You did."

He didn't respond. She turned her head to the sky. Patches of blue sky were already visible. "Besides, I managed to find the surface eventually."

"Eventually isn't good enough if you run out of air."

"Luckily, yelling at you guys has given me a pretty decent lung capacity."

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "You're welcome."

Speaking of people she liked to yell at - Nami rolled onto her side as she looked around the deck. The rest of the crew were spread around the deck in varying degrees of exhaustion. Sanji hung limply from the wheel while Franky lay on the ground beside him. Brook leaned heavily against one of the rails and Robin lay on the nearby stairs. Chopper was bent over Usopp's prone form.

Nami sat up quickly. "Is he okay?"

Chopper pressed gauze against the wound on his head. "He's unconscious, but he'll be okay."

Nami sat back relieved. Zoro tilted his head to the side. She watched as a drop of water collected on the front tip of his hair. When he spoke, it dropped onto the deck.

"What the hell kind of a storm was that?"

The storm had come on faster and harder than any she had experienced before. And it was already over. She closed her eyes. "I have no idea."

Robin called from across the deck. "Are we still on course?"

Nami lifted the log pose up to her face. She squinted and immediately sat up straighter. She watched, transfixed, as the dial spun round and round. "Something's wrong. It can't seem to locate the next island."

Zoro sat up. He frowned, tapping at the glass. The dial shuddered then righted itself, once again pointing solidly forward.

The swordsman shrugged, "It's working now."

Nami continued to watch the log pose. It didn't move. She didn't like this. Though short in duration, the storm had been ridiculously strong. There was no telling how far they could have been sent off course.

She glanced at the wide sea ahead of them, then back at the pose. It should still be directing them on the same path that they had been going before. But in all her time as a navigator, she had never once seen it spin wildly around like that. As the sun broke out from the clouds and lit the sea ahead, Nami couldn't help but worry where they might be headed.

* * *

The pen rolled smoothly over the paper. With precise, slow movements, the last sentences were recorded. Large fingers deposited the pen in its tray, returning briefly to smooth the paper. Despite his careful movements, it had somehow gotten a wrinkle.

His head bent low over the desk and his sharp nose nearly grazed the paper. The man's head was covered in short blond hair that had been meticulously brushed down and his pointed chin was free of stubble. Thin lips pursed in concentration.

A soft knock sounded at the door.

"Come in."

There was a soft click, followed by brisk footsteps. His head remained bent as he continued rubbing at the stray crease.

"Ronan." There was a pause. "Sir."

With a sigh, he pushed the paper away and looked up.

"Nova." He gave a slight nod. "Status report?"

The woman before him nodded. She had shoulder length hair and a serious face – her features had an ineffable quality of sadness; though no one had ever been able to quite pinpoint why. Yet, the most remarkable aspect of her appearance was the near absolute lack of color on her person. Her skin was ashen and the hair that fell to her shoulders was pale, though in the right light, some swore it to be silver. Even the eyes that sat below her frosty lashes were a light gray.

When she spoke, her voice was light and had a lilting quality. "Sobra Jett failed."

The man adjusted the pen within its tray.

She continued, "I can't help but wonder if raising her bounty was a mistake. If anything, it simply encouraged her to get stronger."

He looked up. "The bounty was to see if we could get some unaffiliated bounty hunters to take care of it – you know the officials like us to go by the book. If we could have gotten a regular hunter to bring her in, there would be less to tie our organization to it – since we don't officially exist."

"Well the regular bounty hunters weren't stupid enough to go after a member of the Straw Hat Pirates. And the one who _was_ stupid enough, was practically eviscerated." She crossed her arms. "We ended up dipping into our pool of contracted hunters anyway. And the first ones failed." She paused. "Perhaps we should consider targeting another member of the crew."

He quickly shook his head. "No, no. You forget; I've seen their weakness. It is undoubtedly her. She is the one who, if in danger, they will run to with the least thought."

"It is only getting harder to take her. She is stronger and the crew is more wary. It's not too late to rework our strategy. Assassination is certainly not our specialty, but we've done it before. We could take them out one by one. Let's get our team together."

He laughed bitterly, "Weren't you the one just speaking of the bounty hunters fearing their strength? I won't risk valuable assets on scum like them. It's better if we can lure them to us. If we get them here, their destruction will be ensured."

She bowed her head.

He continued, "Don't forget, we still have the Island of Kodai. We'll have more of our contracted bounty hunters waiting there." He grazed a hand over a small green stone that hung around his neck. "Kodai has yet to fail me."

She nodded.

"Are they on course for it?"

"Yes. Miko made sure of that. I think it was his most powerful storm yet."

His lips pulled back in a toothy smile. "Good. Notify me when they arrive." He pulled another paper in front of him. "You're dismissed."

She bowed once, quickly walking to the door. It closed softly behind her.

He stared down at the next paper for several moments as he absently fingered the stone around his neck. Finally, he reached for the pen, plucking it carefully from its tray. The meticulous writing resumed.

* * *

Hehehe the previous chapter turned out to _literally _be the calm before the storm :P (Don't mind me, I'm a dork who is ridiculously amused by my lame attempt at foreshadowing). But in other news - this was our first glimpse of the bad guys! Who are they? And why do they have it out for the straw hats? We shall see :) Thanks for reading.


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: One Piece does not belong to me, it belongs to Oda.

Once again, thank you so much for the reviews! Here is the next section :)

Chapter 16:

* * *

The Straw Hat Pirates awoke to a world of gray. Fog had seeped in around the ship during the night, and as of yet, showed no signs of dissipating.

Nami stood alone at the helm. She leaned over the wheel, vigilantly scanning the obscured sea as the ship advanced cautiously forward.

Zoro watched her careful navigation from across the ship. He sat balanced on a rail, absentmindedly lifting a bulky weight at his side. Even at a distance, he could hear her worried mutterings as she alternatively squinted at the log pose and peered into the mist. The fog seemed to be acting as a barrier between them and the sounds of the outside world. Save for the navigator's quiet stream of mutterings and the hollow slap of waves against the ship, the deck was immersed in silence.

Zoro passed the weight to his other hand. Where Nami stood at the helm, the thick mist swirled; reluctantly parting for the prow of the ship. Her bright hair stood out like a beacon amidst the whitewashed sea.

The swordsman set the weight aside before dropping off the rail. He found himself automatically crossing the deck to join her. Her bright hair remained at the center of his vision; and as he approached, an old adage that had something to with moths and flames crossed his mind. With a shake of his head, he forcefully dispelled it. He refused to entertain any thought in which he was compared to a moth.

Zoro rolled through his steps, making each footfall as silent as the fog that surrounded them. He was still deciding whether to grab her shoulder or simply speak directly into her ear, when she spoke.

"Baka. Stop trying to scare me. I'm busy."

Zoro's footsteps faltered. He was sure his approach had been absolutely silent. She glanced over her shoulder, smiling when she saw his confusion.

"You were the one who told me I needed to be aware of the world around me."

Zoro stepped up beside her. "What tipped you off?"

She shrugged. "I could just tell."

"You can't just _tell_."

She adamantly nodded. "I was just standing here and-" She paused. "Oh." Her cheeks immediately colored red.

Zoro watched, perplexed and fascinated by her sudden embarrassment. "What?"

She looked down, fiddling with the log pose around her wrist. "Um. You have a certain – uh – scent. I've noticed. When you got close just now, I must have smelled it."

Zoro slapped his hand triumphantly down on the rail. "I told you smells are useful!" His hand dropped to his side as another thought struck him. "Wait – do I smell bad?" He immediately thought back to when he had last visited the bathing room, and how vigorously he had worked out since then.

He didn't think it was possible, but Nami's cheeks flushed a darker red. She glanced into the thick fog and when she spoke her voice was high and strained. "No, not bad at all actually. It's – uh – nice."

Zoro tugged at the collar of his shirt, pulling it to his nose. He didn't smell anything.

Nami slapped him lightly on the shoulder. "Baka. It's impossible to smell yourself."

He shrugged. "I just wanted to see."

She shook her head as she glanced down at her log pose again. After ensuring their course, her eyes shifted back to him.

"Thanks for diving in after me yesterday. After I went to bed, I realized I hadn't thanked you for it."

"It was nothing. I'm one of the few people who could jump in after you. That's what we get for living on a ship full of hammers."

She nodded, smiling grimly.

Zoro watched the fog curl around them. What he didn't tell her, was that the night after the storm he had spent several sleepless hours thinking about her fall from the ship.

He could still clearly envision the scene. The wind was screaming around him. He had just managed to finally yank the sail up when he began scanning the deck for his crewmates. Franky's blue hair had caught his eye first. The shipwright was dragging Robin to the stairs. Brook and Chopper were both clinging to the sides of the ship. He had turned to scan the other side of the deck when he spied Usopp tied to the side of the ship. He hadn't even had time to consider the strangeness of Usopp's position when a flash of orange caught his attention. It was in the water just off the ship. Zoro didn't think as he dropped down from the mast. He had instantly known who was in the water. By the time he reached the edge of the ship, she had disappeared. Zoro's heart was hammering in his chest when he dove off the side. The water was pitch black around him. When her head suddenly popped out of the water in front of him, his relief had been overpowering. For a moment he had honestly thought he had lost her to the depths of the sea.

He started when Nami poked him in the side. "At least Luffy didn't go and drop himself into the ocean too. Then you really would have had your work cut out for you."

Nami grinned at her joke, but Zoro froze; picturing the horrible scenario. A sinking captain and Nami lost in the sea. His expression must have betrayed his horror because Nami paused, her smile wavering.

"You're not actually thinking about it, are you?"

Zoro didn't respond.

Nami slapped his arm. Her grin had been replaced with a fierce scowl. "Baka! If Luffy and I fall in the water, you go for the one who sinks. I can swim. Don't be an idiot."

Zoro shifted his weight as he continued to think over the hypothetical scenario. He honestly couldn't imagine what he would do if he was faced with that situation. Zoro was devoted to his captain; he would do anything for him. But it was physically painful to imagine Nami fighting the ocean's currents with no help. Zoro paused as another thought struck him. "Luffy would want me to save you."

Nami crossed her arms. "Luffy's an idiot too."

Zoro scratched his head. "Well at least there are a few of us who aren't hammers in the water. If it came to it, we could split up to save you guys."

Nami shook her head. "You are getting way too caught up over this. Stop worrying so much. I'm not going to be dropping into the ocean again anytime soon." She paused. "Though you should probably keep an eye on Luffy. It's much more likely in his case."

Zoro finally allowed himself a smile. "I try to."

Nami gave him one last mindful look before leaning over the wheel to once again peer into the fog ahead. She looked at her log pose and then back to the mist.

Zoro leaned against the railing as he watched her careful navigation. "You seem more concerned than usual. Why?"

Nami squinted at the thick mist. "I'm worried the storm may have pushed us off course. And this fog is making me nervous."

"Even if we did get off course, the log pose would still point us in the right direction. Wouldn't it?"

"It should." Nami chewed at her bottom lip. "It's just – it acted so strange after the storm. Spinning around like that. I don't know what it means."

"Maybe it just got confused after being tossed around in the ocean. It might have just been re-orienting itself."

Zoro and Nami both glanced down at the item in question. The needle pointed unwaveringly forward.

Nami sighed, "Maybe." She leaned back over the wheel. "I have Usopp looking from the crow's nest too."

"How is he?"

The sniper had spent the afternoon following the storm recovering in Chopper's sick bay.

"Much better. He's still complaining about a headache. But he should be fine – all he has to do is look."

As if on cue, Usopp's shrill voice called down from the fog. "Nami! I think I see something!"

Zoro glanced up. "Speak of the devil."

Nami ignored him; peering attentively over the wheel. "I think I see it too."

Zoro leaned forward. He could just make out the outline of a dark shape that loomed distantly ahead of them.

Nami called back, "An island?"

There was a moment before Usopp replied. "I think so?"

"An island!" Luffy's high pitched voice suddenly joined the conversation. "Whoopeeeee!"

Zoro flinched as their captain came barreling at them out of the fog. He yanked Nami to the side as Luffy's arms stretched to grab onto the figurehead. Seconds later, his body flew by them. He landed on the figurehead and eagerly leaned forward, attempting to glimpse the island through the fog. "I see it too!"

Nami glared at their captain. "Baka."

Zoro sent his own scowl in Luffy's direction. He had been on the receiving end of Luffy's excited flights too many times to count. He would not have been happy if he and Nami had ended up in the ocean all over again because of Luffy's eagerness to see the island.

Usopp called down again. "It's huge!"

As the ship advanced slowly forward, the island's shadowy shape rose above them. The island's details were gradually becoming distinguishable. Tan cliffs rose up from the dark water. Stretching above the cliffs were hills, and behind them lay mountains. Every surface was covered in thick, green foliage. A few venturous trees perched dangerously close to the cliff's edges; their thick roots seemed to be grappling with the stony surface.

"I see a bay." Nami's deft fingers turned the wheel.

Entering the cove, they finally emerged from the thick mist. Sunlight struck the deck as a cacophony of sounds swelled around them. As if attempting to fill the mist's sudden void, loud, twittering bird calls rose up on all sides. The lazy hum of insects accompanied the hiss of the wind through the leaf laden trees.

Luffy's eyes were wide and his head pivoted rapidly back and forth. He seemed to be attempting to see everything at once. Zoro found his own gaze traveling along the shore. The beach itself was relatively thin. Beige sand gave way to stubborn underbrush that had spread onto the edges of the beach. Trees stretched upwards just beyond, shading the mixture of dirt and sand beneath them. Most importantly, there were no people anywhere and not a single sign of civilization on the lush island. Zoro felt himself imperceptibly relax. No people meant no bounty hunters. This island could be a much needed respite from their bounty hunter worries.

Nami voiced his thoughts. "Seems pretty deserted, huh?"

He nodded. "From what I can see."

Luffy was bouncing up and down. "I can't wait to go explore!"

There was a thud as Usopp, climbing down from the crow's nest, dropped down the last few rungs of the ladder. "Uh guys, I think I caught a case of I-can't-go-on-this-island-or-I'll-die disease." He dramatically placed a hand over his already bandaged head. "You should probably just go without me."

Zoro quirked an eyebrow at his antics. At the same time, Sanji emerged from below deck. The cook joined Zoro in watching Usopp's dramatic display, and was soon glancing between him and the island. Sanji shoved his hands in his pockets as he turned back to the panicking sniper. "It doesn't look that dangerous."

Usopp stomped a foot on the deck. "When do you guys _ever_ think it looks dangerous? And guess what?" He waved his arms in exasperation. "It always is! Every time!"

Robin joined them on the deck, likely drawn out by the loud noise. Her hand had already risen to cover the soft giggles that escaped her mouth. She laid her other hand on Usopp's shoulder, causing the bushy haired man to jump in surprise. "Do you really think there is anything out there scarier than the people on this crew?" As she spoke, she glanced between Luffy, Sanji, and Zoro.

Usopp stubbornly crossed his arms and pointed his long nose high in the air. "I don't want to find out."

Nami's voice interrupted them. "Alright. This is the spot. Zoro, drop anchor."

Zoro didn't question the order. He instantly moved to release the heavy anchor. When he returned, the navigator had turned her critical gaze upon the island. Zoro had seen that look before, and was well aware of what it meant. Therefore, he was unsurprised when with narrowed eyes and a hand speculatively rubbing her chin, she finally spoke.

"I wonder if there's any hidden treasure out there."

Usopp dropped to his knees, his shoulders slumping down in defeat. Zoro knew what that phrase meant, and evidently Usopp did too. No one would be staying on the ship if there was potential treasure to be found.

Personally, Zoro didn't mind. Like Luffy, he was excited by the prospect of traversing the new island. Though he was more interested in testing his blades against any beasts they might encounter. He didn't mind tagging along with Nami while she looked for treasure. And besides – if Usopp was with her, Zoro was sure to see at least one monster. The two of them together never failed to attract all kinds of terrifying creatures. Maybe the creatures could sense fear. As the rest of the crew gathered on deck, Zoro patted his katanas, imagining the fierce creatures he could test his skill against.

Sanji turned towards the kitchen. "Give me a sec. I'll make us some lunches to-go."

"With lots of meat!"

Luffy's request went unacknowledged as the kitchen door closed firmly behind him. The captain slumped as the sides of his lips tugged down in disappointment.

Robin laughed. "You can have some of my meat Luffy."

The rapidity at which their captain perked following Robin's offer was absurd. Luffy's frown was instantly replaced by a grin that stretched across his face as he jumped to his feet. "Yahoo! Let's go explore!"

Luffy was preparing to leap from the ship when a quick hand hooked around his collar.

"Oh no you don't!"

Nami stood, one hand on her hip, the other restraining their flailing captain. Zoro couldn't resist a grin. He had to admit, it was good to have Nami back to her old self. Zoro scratched the back of his neck. It wasn't that Nami had behaved all that differently these last few weeks, but it had been clear that the fear of bounty hunters had been weighing heavily on her mind. Most of her interactions with the crew had been missing a certain undefinable quality. And now looking at her, Zoro could clearly see what that quality was. Standing before them, with their captain in hand, he could see that her eyes had regained a spark. She stood confident, once more sure of herself.

Nami's eyes found his own and he felt his grin widen. She returned his smile with her own slightly puzzled one before turning back to Luffy.

"We are all sticking together. No running off." She narrowed her eyes at their captain as her voice lowered menacingly. "Got it?"

Even as Luffy nodded vigorously, his sandaled feet began to impatiently twitch. Zoro shook his head as he watched. He wasn't sure if 'not running off' was something Luffy was capable of.

* * *

A half an hour later, all of the Straw Hat pirates had been rounded up and stood fanned out along the narrow strip of sand. With every step, Zoro's boots sank into the malleable grains. A twin pair of tiny hoof prints trailed behind Chopper. Their smallest crewmate lifted his head as he surveyed the surrounding forest with wide eyes.

Zoro turned to Nami. She was crouched beside him, reorganizing the contents in her small pack.

"What direction?"

Nami shrugged the bag over her shoulder as she stood. She peered into the forest and then craned her neck up to observe the mountains that towered beyond. She pointed slightly to their left. "That way." She raised her voice. "Everyone! Let's go!"

As Nami stepped towards the thick foliage, a dark blur leapt in front of her. Sanji held a hand up as he slid to a stop before her. "Let me clear the way for you Nami-san. Just tell me which way to go."

Nami shrugged, "Sure. Thanks Sanji-kun." She gestured the direction for him to walk in, and they once again began hiking forward. Zoro ground his teeth together as he followed after Nami. The curly browed cook's flattery had always been annoying, but as of late, he had found himself particularly frustrated by his antics.

Zoro's steps fell hard against the ground. His gaze slid between the shadows of the trees. Fine, let the ero-cook lead the way. If any creatures decided to attack, _he _was going to take care of them – the stupid love cook would be too busy hacking away at the shrubs in their path.

As they walked forward, the trees around them grew thicker and taller. Soon the barest trickle of sunlight was able to make its way through the thick canopy of leaves. Zoro was absentmindedly following after Nami when he became aware of a strange sensation. He paused, looking into the shaded forest beyond. His footsteps faltered as he peered into the darkness. He took a step to his right. He couldn't explain it, but he felt drawn in that direction. He took another step.

"Zoro?"

Zoro froze. His head jerked up at Nami's voice.

"What are you doing?"

Zoro looked around. He was stunned to realize he had already traveled several feet off the path Sanji had made. He glanced back at the forest. What had just happened?

Sanji's condescending voice arose, "Stupid marimo head was just about to get lost again."

Zoro stalked back to the path. "I wasn't!" His footsteps faltered as he looked over his shoulder, and he felt the inexplicable draw once more.

"Marimo! What the hell?"

Zoro started and turned back to them.

Nami frowned. "Zoro, what's going on?"

At Usopp's cry, everyone whirled around. The sniper's knees were knocking together. "Luffy, Franky, Brook! They're not behind me anymore!"

Chopper let out a shriek and began running in miniature circles. Zoro stepped around him to peer to the back of the line. It was true. The place where their three crewmates had stood was now empty.

Sanji kicked a wide leaf. "Shitty crewmates, can't even follow a path."

Robin lifted her arms across her chest. "I will look."

Zoro could only imagine the vast number of eyes that had suddenly sprouted from trees and rocks around the area. Chopper stilled as everyone waited in silence while she conducted her search.

Nami finally spoke. "Do you see them?"

When Robin replied, her tone was perplexed. "I can't see them anywhere. They couldn't have gone that far."

Zoro's eyes shifted uneasily around the surrounding forest.

Usopp stilled his quaking knees with shaking hands. "Let's just go back. My I-can't-go-on-this-island disease is really acting up."

Sanji shook his head. "We can't go back without those three - even if they were stupid enough to get lost."

Nami adjusted her pack. "Let's keep going then? Maybe we'll run into them."

Usopp vehemently shook his head, but from everyone else there were reluctant shrugs of agreement.

Nami nudged Sanji forward, but she looked over her shoulder before she took her first step. "Do _not_ stray from this path. Just follow the person in front of you." Her eyes traveled between all of them, but he swore they lingered on him the longest.

Zoro grumbled as they began walking again. He was perfectly capable of staying on the path. Though he couldn't help another glance into the shadowy trees. There was something very strange about this place.

Zoro found himself watching the ground as he walked. He decided it was safer than looking at the forest and risking whatever happened last time. Leaves crunched underfoot as Zoro took several large steps to avoid roots protruding from the cracked earth. As Zoro kicked a pebble off the path, he realized that he hadn't heard Usopp complain in a while. The swordsman quickly turned and then cursed. Everyone behind him was gone.

"Oi, Nami! We lost them too."

When she didn't reply, Zoro twisted around. The forest ahead was just as empty as the forest behind him.

"Shit."

* * *

Thanks for reading! Sorry to end it on a bit of a cliff hanger. Next up will be Nami's point of view! Reviews and critiques are always appreciated :)


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: One Piece does not belong to me, it belongs to Oda.

Again - thank you so much for the reviews. They never fail to give me a boost of encouragement. Anyway, let's get back to the Straw Hat's adventures on the strange island they have found themselves on :)

Chapter 17:

* * *

Twigs snapped beneath her shoes as she carefully stepped around large ferns. Sanji kicked even bigger bushes out of the way in front of her. As Nami watched him work, her thoughts once again returned to their three missing crewmates. It wasn't so strange for Luffy to go missing, but it was unlike Franky and Brook to just disappear.

She felt a tickle on her arm and absentmindedly slapped a leggy insect away. She hoped it wasn't a mistake to continue venturing into the forest. She had reasoned that Luffy at least, was unlikely to simply head back to the ship. If they were to find him anywhere, it would be deeper in the forest.

Though if she was honest, she also had to admit that she really _did_ want to see if they could find any signs of a long lost treasure. Nami rubbed her hands together. For a pirate, a deserted island like this was the perfect place to hide a fortune. And if there was treasure here, she was going to find it.

"What?" The single word came from Robin and was followed by a startled gasp.

Nami slid to a stop. She turned to see Robin wearing an expression of absolute befuddlement as she stared at the empty path in front of her. Usopp stood behind her, looking distantly into the trees. Nami's stomach dropped. Zoro and Chopper were no longer with them.

Sanji spoke from directly behind her. "What the hell?"

Nami's mouth dropped open as she looked around the forest, vaguely hoping she would see Chopper or Zoro standing amongst the trees. When she finally spoke, her voice had adopted an apprehensive edge. "When did they walk off? And how did you two not notice?!"

Robin held a hand to her head, her expression troubled. "I – I don't know. I was looking into the trees – I must have gotten distracted."

Nami turned to Usopp just in time to see him take a step off the path.

"Usopp?"

He kept walking.

"Stop him!"

Robin reached for him. When her fingers latched around his shoulder, he glanced up, startled. His eyes shifted around in confusion.

Sanji muttered beside her, "What's going on?"

Nami shook her head in confusion. Usopp had almost walked away before their eyes and Robin continued looking distractedly into the trees. "I have no idea."

Robin rubbed at her head. "We need to get out of here."

Nami agreed. But at this rate, would they even be able to make it back through the forest?

Usopp took another heavy step away from them. Robin swore as she wrapped her hand around his arm. Nami's gaze shifted to the dark trees around them. Now that she thought about it, they did have a strange pull.

Sanji's voice interrupted her thoughts. He was bent, looking through the foliage ahead. "I think there might be a clearing up ahead. Maybe it will help to get out of the thickest part of the forest."

Nami grabbed on to Robin's arm as she pushed the cook ahead. "Go – just go." Nami could feel her own concentration wavering, and she had no idea why. The shadows beneath the trees had begun to look inviting. As they hurried through the forest, she felt an unexplainable urge to stray from the path.

Her footsteps slowed as she found herself staring into the trees. "Sanji."

Sanji cursed, grabbing her arm. "Keep holding Robin. And Robin – hold onto Usopp."

Nami tightened her hand around Robin's wrist and let Sanji pull her forward. Leaves and branches whipped by them as they tore through the underbrush. With every step, Nami's distraction grew. She closed her eyes and focused on gripping Robin's arm. She trusted Sanji to guide them.

Without warning, the four pirates tumbled from the thick foliage. They landed in a heap on soft grass. Nami rolled onto her back, letting the sunlight sink into her skin. She took several deep breaths; and with every exhalation, her head slowly began to clear.

Nami sat up and stared warily at the trees. The strange desire hadn't completely left her, but it felt manageable. Robin and Usopp were slowly pushing themselves to their feet.

Usopp glanced nervously at the forest. "What just happened?"

Nami sucked in another deep breath. "The air feels fresher out here. Maybe there is something wrong with the forest's air."

Robin frowned in thought. "Maybe. But part of me still feels like walking back in there. It doesn't make any sense. What would cause this?"

"And why isn't it affecting me?"

Nami glanced at Sanji. He stood relaxed, with his arms crossed in front of him. It was true, he looked completely unaffected. Nami shook her head and stood. The reply she had planned died on her lips as she looked behind him.

"Woah."

At the end of the clearing rose a stone monument. Behind it, climbing up the side of the mountain beyond, stood the crumbling ruins of a city.

At Nami's remark, her companions turned. Their mouths dropped open at the sight. Robin's eyes gleamed. The archaeologist was taking quick steps toward the ancient structures before Nami could even blink.

Sanji sputtered, "Robin-chan! Wait!" He turned to Nami and Usopp. "Nami-San, we have to stay together."

Nami nodded. "Come on Usopp."

Usopp swallowed nervously, but nonetheless stepped forward to follow Sanji and Robin. He and Nami walked side by side up the steep slope. The monument rose high above them, taller than it had seemed at a distance.

The statue's gray stone was cracked and crumbling. Dark moss had found a permanent home within its crevices. Nami shaded her eyes as she stared up its massive form. Carved into the stone, was a creature that looked like some kind of predatory cat. It had a large muzzle and a tail that curled around its base. Where its front paws should be, it instead had hands – though only a few fingers were still intact. The rest had either broken off mid-knuckle or crumbled altogether. Perched on the creature's shoulder, was an owl similarly engraved in stone. Its beak was missing and its left side had begun to wear down, but the bird's large eyes stared out unblemished.

Nami ran her fingers along the rough stone at the statue's base. Foreign lettering was inscribed upon it. Tiny pink flowers bloomed around the base, stretching up towards the lettering. Robin carefully stepped around them to crouch in front of it. Her lips moved as her eyes scanned the symbols.

"Can you read it?"

Robin didn't look up from the inscription when she replied. "It's similar to other ancient cultures I have studied. I can understand most of it."

Usopp tore his eyes from the massive statue. "What does it say?"

Robin touched the carved lettering. "May the great Rothgar protect us and may Ulma see what we cannot. We prostrate ourselves before the Gods. Without them, we are nothing."

Nami looked up. "Is Rothgar the jungle cat and Ulma the-"

"The owl, yes." Robin's gaze turned to the sprawling ruins beyond. "These are forgotten gods. Those who worshiped them have long since passed."

Nami felt her eyes drawn back to the statue. The owl's wide irises held her.

"Let's explore the ruins. We may find some explanation for the strangeness of the forest."

Nami tore her gaze from the statue. Her thoughts instantly turned to potential wealth that might be found in the vast ruins. What treasures might these ancient people have collected? Nami's eyes lit up as she surveyed the ruins with a speculative scrutiny. "I agree with Robin. Let's go!"

Usopp gave her a narrow eyed stare that suggested he knew exactly why she wanted to explore. Nami answered his stare with a sheepish smile and turned to follow Sanji and Robin.

As they entered the city, cracked and crumbling walls rose up on either side of them. The stone buildings stretched up, all in various stages of decay. Vines wound the rubble and the pink flowers sprouted around sparse remains of pavement. She couldn't help but think that nature had worked diligently to reclaim this forgotten city. Nami lay her hand against a wall immersed in thick ivy. Bits of stone broke and crumbled beneath her fingers.

Robin ducked her head into a building. The archaeologist peered around the dim room before stepping carefully inside. Nami turned to follow, her eyes scanning the surrounding rubble as she went. Despite nature's reclamation of the ruins, the city of stone was silent. The crunch of rock and dirt beneath her feet was alarmingly loud. Nami's gaze shifted between the buildings. Dark holes and gouges gaped where the ruins had crumbled. Against the gray stone, they looked eerily like the dark, empty sockets of a skull; and left her with the uncomfortable sensation of being watched.

Usopp seemed to be experiencing a similar sensation, as he shuffled closely behind her. She started when his long nose brushed the back of her head. Nami scowled, swatting him back. Within seconds, he stood close behind her again.

"Usopp! You're crowding me."

He replied in a whisper. "This place gives me the creeps. Don't you feel it?"

Sanji stood off to the side, hands stuck firmly in his pockets. But even his eyes shifted suspiciously between the buildings.

Usopp's quiet voice continued, whispering close to her ear. "Something bad happened here."

Nami's footsteps slowed as she looked warily around her.

"The great Usopp has seen many cities such as this. All had fallen victim to terrible massacres. Massacres so terrible that the victim's spirits remained within the cities walls, re-living their agony again, and again."

Nami whirled, striking him with a sweaty palm. "Baka! Stop making up stories."

Usopp quaked as he moved to stand behind her. "It seemed plausible enough to me."

Nami pushed him away and his stories out of her mind. If she was going to hunt for treasure in these abandoned buildings, she didn't need to be thinking about a bunch of ghosts floating around. Nami ducked her head in the building Robin had disappeared into. The archaeologist was leaning over a stone slab.

She stepped inside. "Find anything good?

Robin frowned down at the object in her hands. "Something strange."

There seemed to be a lot of that around here. Nami leaned over her shoulder to get a look. Resting on the archaeologist's careful palms were a few sheets of frail paper. The edges had begun to disintegrate and the writing was no longer readable.

"These ruins are hundreds, maybe a thousand years old. This paper is at most forty. It could not possibly have belonged to the ancients who lived here. Especially in this damp environment; any paper they would have used would be dust by now."

"Someone else lived here after them?"

Robin glanced up at the ceiling. "Do you see those beams?"

Nami looked up. There were indeed wooden beams that had been wedged across the stone ceiling.

"Someone installed those to provide extra support for the stones so that the building would not crumble. That is the reason this building and a few others are so well preserved."

Nami looked at the dark wood. It had its own cracks and creases. "It doesn't look so sturdy now."

Robin shook her head. "It's not. If it gave way, we would be crushed."

Nami swallowed. "I would rather not know that."

Robin squinted upwards. "But it does help me confirm a date. Between those beams and the paper, I would guess that a second group of people – who came long after the ancients – occupied these ruins about thirty to forty years ago."

"Why would anyone want to live in a city of ruins?"

The archaeologist shook her head. "That, I cannot tell."

Sanji poked his head in. "Robin-chan? Nami-san? Shall we continue on?"

Robin brushed her hands against her legs as she stood. "Yes. I'm interested to see if they have some kind of records room."

Nami perked. "Would it mention where they kept their treasure?"

Usopp slapped a hand to his head, and then winced. "You really are back to your old self."

Nami ignored him. Her concern about bounty hunters had temporarily overridden her concern about their funds. But now she had to make up for it. The Straw Hat pirates didn't exactly have a cheap lifestyle. And besides – if her life experiences had taught her anything, it was that more money was always better.

Robin smiled softly. "It might. Though if we find any, I ask that you let me examine it first. There may be much to learn from treasure of old."

Nami nodded quickly. She didn't mind waiting, as long as she made a profit at the end of the day.

With that agreed, they trekked into the region of the city that climbed the side of the mountain. Nami followed Robin up a set of partially crumbled stairs. The stone stairs were long, and wound around a cliff's steep edge. She picked her way carefully around the holes that gaped in the ancient steps. Sanji's voice repeatedly rose behind them, beseeching she and Robin to be careful.

Usopp grumbled from the back. "Don't worry about me, I'll be careful too."

Nami called back. "Don't worry Usopp. I'm sure Sanji would catch you if you fell."

Sanji adjusted the cigarette between his lips. "Not likely."

Usopp's affronted cry echoed between the stairs and the wall that stretched above them.

They had almost reached the top when a sharp scraping sounded behind them. Usopp cried out. Nami grabbed the cliff beside her as she turned. The stair beneath Usopp had given out. Nami's eyes widened as she watched the bushy-haired sniper begin to slide off the edge.

Sanji cursed, kicking his leg out. Sanji's black shoe managed to hook around Usopp's midsection. Nami sighed in relief as Usopp came to a halt, dangling over the end of the cook's long leg.

Nami grinned. "See. I told you so." Robin laughed behind her.

Sanji scowled as he lifted the dangling sniper back to the stairs. When he landed, Usopp spread his arms, hugging the stone stairs tightly as he lay flat against them. They spent the next ten minutes coaxing him up the last several stairs.

Nami breathed a sigh of relief when they all stood at the top. A precariously leaning archway stood above them, and a circular building rose just beyond. With a few quick steps, Robin had disappeared inside the building's wide door. Pillars encircled the grey building, and a corroding domed roof stretched above them.

As Nami approached, it became clear that this building too had begun to succumb to nature. Twisting vines climbed the pillars. They enfolded the building's domed roof, infiltrating the stone's deep cracks. As Nami entered the wide door, she stepped onto damp grass.

From a jagged hole in the center of the ceiling, a single stream of light poured down. Particles of dust and filament flickered as they passed through the singular ray. From the ray of light, the curving walls were dimly lit. Covering all surfaces, were lines upon lines of carved symbols. Nami's mouth fell open.

Robin skimmed a reverent hand over the worn lettering. Her head twisted back and forth as she absorbed the wealth of information.

Usopp and then Sanji entered behind her. Usopp's mouth fell open, much like her own had moments before. "Woah."

Robin stepped back as her eyes continued to scan the walls. "This is the history of their entire civilization." Her voice was full of wonder. "Their gods, their customs, their triumphs-" Her head tilted, "And their tragedies." Robin paused as she zeroed in on a section of the wall. She stepped up to it, running her fingers over the carved letters. "I think I understand what is happening in the forest."

Sanji twisted in her direction. "What is it, Robin-chan?"

Nami felt a coil of fear in her gut while she watched Robin's blue eyes rapidly shift over the symbols. Whatever it was, their crewmates were undoubtedly facing it now.

Robin looked up. "They speak of an insect. They call it a Dingue Fly."

"Dingue." Nami let the unfamiliar name roll over her tongue.

"They describe it as a fly with long, curved legs. A sharp stinger curves around the base of its abdomen."

Nami's stomach dropped. An image of the leggy insect that had landed on her arm flashed in her memory. She glanced down. There was a small, raised red dot on her arm. It was no bigger than a pinprick. She would have missed it if she hadn't been looking for it.

Robin continued speaking. "Their stingers release a toxin into the blood stream. It causes an individual to react adversely when they come in contact with pollen from the native trees and bushes." Robin paused to read further. "They describe it as a type of sensory overload. After one is stung, the toxin in their blood causes the pollen to act as a kind of drug, leaving an individual disoriented and confused. To someone under the influence of the toxin, the pollen is as addictive as any other drug. They will wander listlessly into the forest, confusedly seeking the pollen that falls from every tree."

Nami's heart pounded in her chest as Usopp stuttered. "So – so – that means us three-" He gestured between himself, Robin, and Nami, "Were stung at some point?"

Robin nodded grimly. "I think it's safe to assume the rest of the crew was too." The archaeologist's eyes widened as she read further. "Fascinating."

Usopp's voice quivered. "What?"

"It seems the Dingue flies and the island's plants evolved to form a mutualistic relationship – that is – one in which they both benefit."

The three crewmates waited silently for her to continue.

"The fly's venom and the plant's pollen work together to cause a human - or any other creature - to wander the forest until they conceivably perish from fatigue or starvation."

Usopp released a strangled sob.

Robin continued, "Once the creature perishes, the flies feast on their corpse. Whatever is left fertilizes the forest floor - allowing the plants to flourish."

Usopp fell to the ground with a thud.

Nami swallowed. "If going into the forest will lead us to that, how will we get out of here? And how are we going to find the rest of our crew?"

Robin paused. "Let me keep reading." She glanced to the side, "Besides – there is still one of us who is still unaffected."

When Sanji didn't respond, Nami turned. Sanji held a hand against the side of his neck. The fingers of his other hand pinched together to hold the wing of a squirming insect. He glanced up at them. "Uh. Is this the shitty bug?"

Sanji removed the hand from his neck. A small dot had already appeared on his pale skin. Usopp groaned miserably from his position on the ground. Robin turned resolutely back to the wall. Nami worried the log pose around her wrist as she looked between them.

They could only hope Robin found a solution somewhere on the wide wall. Otherwise, she had no idea how they were going to leave this city, let alone find the missing members of their crew. Nami sat down hard on the dirty floor, her thoughts of treasure momentarily forgotten. She absentmindedly ran her hand over the welt on her arm as she watched the archaeologist diligently work.

Her thoughts shifted between the members of their crew, but she found the green-haired swordsman to be a reoccurring element within her worried contemplations. She was concerned how the already directionally challenged swordsman was faring under the influence of the Dingue fly's sting.

* * *

Thanks for reading! I hope that you are all still enjoying it :) I will try to update soon.


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: One Piece does not belong to me, it belongs to Oda.

Thank you for the reviews! They always make my day brighter! And now, let's delve a bit deeper into the mystery of this island :)

Chapter 18:

* * *

"I think I've found it."

Nami lifted her head off the soft grass. She and the others had all ended up in various positions of repose as they waited for Robin to finish studying the wall. Sanji leaned against the wall nearest the door, his elbows rested comfortably on his knees. Usopp lay face-down in the center of the room. His legs were sprawled out and his arms lay limply at his sides. Nami had curled up on the grass in between them.

As she sat up, a blade of grass fell from her hair. Nami sighed as she ran her fingers through her hair, loosing a few more wayward pieces of grass. Hands still working, Nami turned hopefully to the archaeologist. "You figured it out?"

Robin tapped a finger against the wall. "Right here. They talk about how the flies were a plague to these people for many generations. Over the years they lost thousands to the forest because of the fly's sting. They called it the Madness."

Usopp's muffled voice interrupted her. "We get it! It was bad – It still is." The sniper remained face-down in the grass. His feet twitched. "Just tell us how to get out of here."

"Don't interrupt Robin-chan!"

Usopp cried out as a black shoe slammed down on the back of his head. The bushy haired sniper pushed himself to his feet. His nose and forehead where red where they had been pushed into the ground. "Hey! That hurt!"

Nami felt her internal temperature rising as she watched them squabble. Their friends were still out there, likely aimlessly wandering the woods. And here they were, fighting amongst themselves. Nami scooped up a handful of loose rubble and stones. She didn't hesitate before chucking the small missiles in their direction. "Shut up!"

Sanji and Usopp winced and raised their arms to shield themselves from the debris.

"That's _enough_."

Usopp rubbed his shoulder where a rock had struck him while Sanji fell to the ground before them. "Nami-san, Robin-chan – forgive me!"

Nami shook her head and turned back to Robin. "Please continue."

The archaeologist's lips tugged at the corners as she turned back to the wall. "Eventually they discovered that the solution to their problem had literally been lying at their feet the whole time. The writing speaks of Ulma taking the form of an owl and landing upon the flowers – of course, that part's probably a myth. It's more likely it was some exceptionally clever individual."

Nami straightened as she recalled the tiny pink flowers that had sprouted all over the ruins.

Robin continued. "They developed a means to convert these flowers to a tea. They drank it once in the morning and then again at night. It staved off the effects of the Dingue Fly's toxin."

Nami stood, padding over the soft grass and out the door. She scanned the ground. Sure enough, there was a patch of small, pink flowers sprouting around one of the building's thick columns. Nami bent, plucking a handful of the delicate floras. She quickly returned, holding the bunch of flowers before her. "Are these the ones?"

Robin glanced at the flowers before squinting back at the wall. "They fit the description. And I did notice that there seemed to be an abundance of them throughout the city. If the ancient people had cultivated them, it would make sense for them to be everywhere."

Usopp rose and snatched one of the small flowers from Nami's palm. He peered warily at it. "So if we eat these, we won't react badly to the pollen out there?" Usopp raised the flower to his mouth.

Just before he dropped the flower into his mouth, Sanji slapped his hand to the side. The pink bud fluttered to the ground. Usopp turned with a scowl. "What was that for?"

Sanji stuck his hands in his pockets. "It might not be safe to eat it like that." He shrugged, "But if you want to test it for Nami-san and Robin-chan, be my guest."

Usopp's brows furrowed as scooped up the flower in question. "But if they made tea out of it, it has to be edible."

Sanji sighed. "But we don't know what the process of making it into tea entailed. Sure, they might have just added it to hot water, but I've worked with ingredients that need to be processed before they are safe to eat. We can't be positive that this flower isn't hazardous to eat in its basic state."

Robin spoke up from across the room. "Sanji-kun is right. They don't specify what the tea-making process involved. If we simply eat them, we cannot be sure we are not poisoning ourselves."

Nami groaned down at the pink flowers in her palm. If only Chopper were with them. He would be the one most able to analyze the flower's property and make it into something they could consume. The flowers were useless if they couldn't come up with some way to utilize them to offset the Dingue Fly's toxin.

Usopp scratched his head as he lifted the pink flower to his eyes. He gave it a contemplative stare. "Maybe we don't have to eat it."

Robin glanced in his direction. "What do you mean?"

Usopp pinched the delicate flower between two fingers and then rubbed them together.

Nami couldn't help her gasp. "You're destroying it!" Not that there weren't plenty more outside. But it was the principle of the matter.

Usopp let his fingers fall apart; the pads of each were stained pink. He raised a finger to his nose, smelling the pink residue. "Do you think the smell alone would work to counteract the pollen?"

Sanji leaned against the wall as Robin tilted her head in thought. "Perhaps. I am neither a doctor nor a biologist, so it is hard to say for sure."

Nami ground one of the flowers between her own fingers. The flower's residue was sticky and had an aromatic scent that was equal parts herbal and sweet. "It couldn't hurt to try." She sniffed at the paste again. "But how will we ensure that we are constantly exposed to the smell?"

"Hmmm…" Usopp raised his index finger to his face, swiping it across the space between his upper lip and nose. "Eh?" The bushy haired man put his hands on his hips as he displayed his work proudly.

Nami shook her head. The residue was every bit as pink as the flower had been, and it was now smeared across Usopp's face as a poorly painted moustache.

Across the cave Robin covered her mouth. "That's a good look for you. Perhaps you should consider growing a real one."

Egged on by her comment, Usopp wiggled his eyebrows. He lifted his other pink finger to add winding spirals on either side of his pink moustache. The sniper struck a pose, gazing gallantly into the distance. "Today, I am a man."

Sanji took a drag of his cigarette. "Today I lost all hope of you ever becoming one."

Usopp scowled. "You're just jealous because you could never pull off a pink moustache."

Nami tore her eyes away from Usopp's ridiculous painted moustache to look at Robin. She raised her eyebrows as she wordlessly asked: _Could this actually work?_

Robin shrugged. She rose from her spot beside the wall. "Should we test it?"

Nami nodded. "Alright Usopp. Let's go test your moustache."

Usopp froze. "Wait – why me?!"

Nami pointed under his nose. "You're already ready."

Usopp stuttered. "But – but – but what if it doesn't work?" His knees began to quake. "I'll walk around until I die! And then I'll fertilize the plants!" Usopp wailed out the last part as he sunk to his knees.

Sanji lifted Usopp's bag off the floor. "Do you have any rope in here? We could tie it around your waist and tug you back in if you start to lose it."

The sniper quieted before reluctantly replying. "I might."

Sanji dug through the bag. Within seconds he triumphantly dropped the coiled rope at their feet.

Nami smirked. "You're so prepared, Usopp!"

Usopp's shoulders drooped as he sighed, "Too prepared."

Robin was already at the doorway. "Shall we test this?"

Nami nodded firmly. The sooner they figured out a definitive way to counteract the toxin, the sooner they could begin rounding up their friends.

Usopp groaned as he picked up the rope.

* * *

"Are you sure you sure you tied it tight enough?" Usopp stood at the edge of the dense trees. "What if I am so desperate to walk further into the forest that I slip out?"

Nami sighed. He had been standing at the edge of the trees for ten minutes already. She, Robin, and Sanji stood across the field, well away from the trees. The rope stretched between them and the sniper. Nami pinched the bridge of her nose. Her voice was strained. "Usopp. For the last time, we will pull you back the second you start acting weird. Just _go_."

"Is Sanji holding the rope tight?"

Sanji shook his end of the rope. "Stop ignoring Nami-san! I've got it! Just go already!"

Usopp glanced back nervously. His pink, globby moustache stood out even more in the sunlight. Finally, the sniper took hesitating footsteps into the forest.

He was several feet inside when Robin called to him. "Do you feel anything?"

Usopp turned in a circle. "Nothing yet."

Nami raised her own voice. "Kick around some bushes to stir up the pollen!"

"No!" Usopp's offended cry echoed around the forest.

Robin turned to her. "That's a good idea." She looked back at the forest. "Usopp! You should do it! We need to be sure!"

Soon bushes began to rustle and leaves swirl. They were accompanied by Usopp's worried stream of curses. Sanji's hands tightened around his end of the rope. Nami glanced at him. "Be ready." He nodded.

The crashing stopped, and was immediately followed by a heavy silence. Nami breathed out. A bird twittered in the distance.

"Usopp?"

When Usopp's head poked out from the foliage, they gave a collective sigh of relief. "I don't feel anything."

Robin laughed. "I can't believe it worked."

Usopp stumbled out of the bushes. "You didn't think it would work? And you still sent me in there!"

Sanji frowned. "Don't yell at a lady. Besides-" He shook the rope again. "You had a lifeline."

Usopp grumbled as he marched across the field, untying the rope as he went.

Nami kneeled as she opened her bag. It was filled to the brim with pink flowers. She had picked as many as she could on their trip back through the ruins. There was no telling how many they would need. Once they managed to find the rest of the crew, they would surely need the flowers as well. And there was no telling how long the scent of the flowers would remain potent enough to protect them from the pollen. They could conceivably need to reapply the ground flowers every few hours.

"Pass me all of your bags. I'm going to split up our supply of flowers."

As Nami scooped handfuls of flowers into each of their bags, Usopp began lecturing them about the proper 'pink moustache' technique.

A long finger directed their attention to the area beneath his nose. "You see, it must be close enough to your nostrils so that you get a steady stream of its scent. It is also best if you curve it up at the ends." He indicated his own spirals. "Like so."

Sanji ground a flower on his palm. "I am perfectly capable of drawing a moustache." Sanji quickly drew a long, pink line beneath his nose. He offered Robin what was left on his palm. The dark haired woman hesitated briefly before dipping her finger in the pink residue. She ran the finger just above her lip, drawing a thin, precise line.

Nami crushed a flower between her own fingers. Copying Robin, she rubbed the pink residue above the curve of her lip. She sighed. The color was going to completely clash with her hair.

There was a poignant moment of silence as they stood in a circle, observing one another.

Sanji broke it. "This is ridiculous. This had better work. I refuse to wander around the forest until I die with _this_ painted on my face."

Robin covered a laugh as Nami's lips tugged up in a grin.

Usopp smiled, shaking his head. "You should have followed my technique."

Nami laughed. His moustache was the most ridiculous of them all. Still smiling she glanced back at the surrounding forest. The smile fell from her lips as her eyes scanned the island's vast terrain. How were they going to find everyone? She looked back to her crewmates. "Alright. How are we going to do this?"

Robin was the first to answer. "It might be best if we split into groups of two. We can search the forest and meet back up at the ship at sunset."

Nami nodded in agreement.

Usopp raised his hand. "I call Sanji or Robin."

At his remark, Nami stilled. She turned her head slowly in his direction. The sniper shrunk back. "And what's wrong with having me as a partner?"

Usopp quivered. "Nothing!"

Robin glanced between them, clearly amused. "So you and Usopp and Sanji and I?"

Nami nodded firmly. She was an excellent partner! She would show him.

Usopp bobbed his head in a weak agreement.

Sanji gave him a hard stare. "You better not let anything happen to Nami-san."

Usopp swallowed, nodding his head more vigorously. "The brave Usopp will take care of everything."

Nami put her hand on his back, gently pushing him towards the forest's edge. "Yeah, yeah. Let's go." She glanced back. "We'll start combing the Northern area of forest. You guys are good with the South?"

Robin nodded. She and Sanji were already crossing the field. The dark haired woman called over her shoulder, "Be careful!"

"You too!"

And with that, Nami and Usopp stepped into the shade of the trees. Nami swallowed, glancing nervously around her. She was still half expecting the sudden urge to return. She paused, breathing deeply. She looked around again. Nothing. No desire to go walking deeper into the trees. She sighed in relief.

As she and Usopp walked through the trees, she noticed that he was gradually moving closer to her. After they had walked for fifteen minutes, they were shoulder to shoulder. Scowling, Nami pushed him to the side. "Give me my space!"

Usopp regained his balance just before falling into a leafy fern. As he hurried to catch up with her, his eyes roamed the surrounding trees. "I was just thinking about that statue we saw with the giant cat." Usopp held his slingshot in a trembling grasp. "Do you think there are any of those out here?"

Nami paused, glancing at the surrounding trees for herself. They hadn't come across one yet, but that didn't mean there weren't any out there. Nami found herself pulling her baro-brace from her pack. She slipped it over her hand as they walked beneath the shade of the forest's wide canopy. It couldn't hurt to be safe.

Nami fiddled with the bracelet's twisted metal as they walked. "How far do you think they could have gotten?"

Usopp shook his head. "Knowing those guys, they could be anywhere by now."

Nami sighed. "That's what I was afraid of. I hope-" Nami paused, looking over her shoulder. She had seen a flash of movement out of the corner of her eye. She took a few hesitating steps forward as she peered around a large tree. There was no one there. Nami frowned. She was sure she had seen something.

"Nami! Is your moustache wearing off?"

Nami was still frowning when she turned back. "No – I thought I saw something."

Usopp stepped around a cluster of bushes to look around the area. "I don't see anyone."

"Whatever it was, it moved fast."

Usopp reached preemptive hands down to grasp his knees. His voice sounded forcefully calm. "Uh. Nami. You don't think it's a jungle cat - do you?"

Nami pulled her clima-tact out. "I hope not. Let's keep going."

Usopp nodded quickly. "Good idea."

Nami and Usopp resumed walking, now at a much faster rate and with frequent glances over their shoulders. After her fifth paranoid glance back, Nami began to regret insisting that she go with Usopp. She would feel a lot safer if she were with Sanji or Robin. What had she been thinking? So what if Usopp thought the others were stronger? What did she value more, her pride or her life? Nami swallowed as she looked over her shoulder once more. She valued her life. A lot.

Nami shook her head and forced herself to take a deep breath. She was stronger now. She and Usopp could handle this. Nami squeezed her clima-tact tighter and forced herself not to glance over her shoulder again. If something was coming, she would hear it.

They had been walking for an hour when Nami, shading her eyes to glance at the height of the sun, spotted a silhouette in a tree. Nami hissed in a whisper to the crewmate beside her. "Usopp! Up in the tree."

She glanced to the side. Usopp squinted his eyes as he peered up into the trees. "I don't see anything."

Nami raised her hand as she turned back. "Right-" Her hand dropped. "There?" The figure had disappeared. "They're gone."

Usopp's gaze continued to shift over the trees. "They sure moved fast."

She looked at the tree line one last time. It was empty. "Do you think it was one of ours?"

Usopp stilled. "Who else would it be?"

It was a valid question. Nami felt a flicker of fear as she thought about what she had just asked. She hadn't even consciously thought about the question before she raised it. And now that she considered it, she realized that it was because upon first glance, the silhouette hadn't matched any of their crew. There was a chance that she simply hadn't had enough time to see properly. Nami felt a chill. But if it truly wasn't one of their crew – then who was it?

Nami fingered her baro-brace and held her clima-tact close. "Let's keep moving. The sooner we find them the better."

Usopp slid next to her. "Sounds good to me."

As they walked side by side, Nami's eyes continued to shift around the surrounding forest. If they weren't the only people in this forest, who else was out there?

* * *

Thanks again for reading! We will be getting back to Zoro soon :)


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: One Piece does not belong to me, it belongs to Oda.

Let me start by saying I am sorry this update took so long! Computer difficulties coupled with a visit back home to my family hampered my ability to write. Luckily, I'm back now and the computer seems to be better, so it should be easier to update :) As always, thank you everyone for the reviews. They are wonderful. Here is the next section!

Chapter 19:

* * *

Nami's lip twitched; she resisted the urge to rub at the flower goo she had recently reapplied above it. She and Usopp had been traversing the forest for the better part of the afternoon, and despite their constant searching, they had still yet to come across any of their crewmates. A fine sheen of sweat collected her brow as Nami pushed a bush aside in irritation. Beside her, Usopp's shoulders drooped and his feet dragged along the mossy floor. The forest's moist heat had begun to take its toll; and their inability to find even one of their crewmates only served to discourage them further.

Nami heard a thud. She released the bush she had been pushing aside, and cursed when its heavy leaves sprang back and slapped her. Face stinging, she turned to see that Usopp had dropped to his knees. Several drops of sweat had collected on his own brow. His head fell back as he gazed dejectedly at the surrounding trees. "We're _never_ going to find them. The forest – it's just too big."

Nami rubbed at her face as she marched back towards him. Her heartbeat sounded loud in her ears. They didn't have _time_ for this. Nami wore her fiercest frown as she grabbed Usopp by the arm and yanked him forcefully back up. "There's no time for whining! If you want to ever leave this island, then get up and keep looking!"

Usopp glanced down in shame as he dusted off his knees. Nami looked around them. It was hard to tell how far north they had walked. What if the island was so huge, they were never able to find them? Nami clenched her fists as she tried to squash that last thought. They would find them. They had to.

Usopp's eyes rose to meet hers. "Look Nami, I'm-"

A pitchy wailing erupted from deeper within the forest. They both froze. She knew that voice. Nami spun, craning her neck as she tried to pinpoint the direction the noise was coming from. Usopp's head twisted back and forth as well. "Where is he?"

A drove of birds burst into the air. Seconds later, the nearby canopies began to quake. The trees continued to quiver as the birds flew overhead. For a moment, the hollow slapping of undulating wings drowned out all other noise.

The rippling motion was moving through the forest like a wave; and it was approaching them fast. Nami leaned forward, shifting her weight to the balls of her feet. Her eyes remained glued to the forest as she plucked a flower from her pack. "I don't think he's going to make this easy for us."

Usopp began rummaging through his bag. "I agree." When the sniper's hand emerged, it was full of pellets. "Give me that flower."

Nami glanced at the shaking trees as she passed him the pink bud. "Hurry."

Usopp ground the flower in the palm of his hand, and quickly rolled the small balls over the pink goo. "Give me another."

Nami passed him another flower. Soon Usopp's handful of ammunition was completely coated pink. She looked back at the trees. "You're planning on shooting him in the face?"

Usopp shrugged as he readied his slingshot. "It won't hurt him – much. Do you have a better idea? He's moving fast."

She shook her head. Nami and Usopp stilled as they waited. Despite knowing he was coming, Nami started when their dark haired captain flew from the trees. His name was upon her lips, but he didn't see either of them. His arms were extended and his wide eyes stared blankly ahead. Luffy's head twitched from side to side as he leapt through the canopy, not unlike a monkey. Nami twisted as she tried to follow his rapid movements. "Usopp!"

The sniper held his slingshot before him, pulling the weapon's elastic taught with a single smooth motion. He tilted his head and his left eye squinted closed as he tracked the swift target. The forest echoed with the slingshot's sharp twang and the small pink ball arced through the air. Luffy whipped a hand out. There was an explosion of pink as the ball struck his palm.

Usopp swore. "He still has the sense to defend himself. I need to be faster."

As Usopp readied another pellet, Luffy was already careening further into the trees. Nami grabbed the sniper's arm. "Come on! We can't lose him!"

Usopp swore again as he lowered his slingshot. They took off running into the trees. Nami and Usopp jumped over and through bushes and underbrush as they strained to keep their captain's slim form in their vision.

Nami panted as she shouldered her way through another fern. She could still see Luffy high within the trees. His arms stretched as he swung, dangling from limb to limb. Her eyes were still trained on him when she took her next step. But rather than follow after her right, she felt her left foot catch within the undergrowth. Nami waved her arms, but was unable to slow her momentum and felt herself falling forward. As her shoulder struck the dirt, there was a sharp spike of pain in her ankle. Nami cried out and Usopp slid to a halt at the sound.

Nami craned her neck back. Luffy was still swinging away. "Usopp! Follow Luffy! I'll catch up."

The sniper paused, glancing between her and Luffy. Indecision was written on his face. She lifted herself onto an elbow. "Go! We'll lose him!"

Usopp nodded determinedly; but before leaving, he dug through his bag. He tossed what looked like a small gun down to her. She caught it in her palm.

"It's a flare. Shoot it up to help us find you." And with that, he turned to follow their captain. His bushy hair bounced behind him as he sprinted into the underbrush. Soon both he and Luffy had disappeared completely.

Nami glanced down. Her left foot was entangled in the thin roots of a fledgling tree. She pulled, wincing as her ankle protested the movement with sharp throbs. The throbbing continued as she scooted forward and worked to tear the roots away. It took several minutes, and her hands were rapidly stained brown with dirt, but she eventually managed to pull her foot free.

Nami ran light fingers over her ankle; it had already begun to swell. She silently cursed her terrible luck. Now was not the time for an injury that would affect her mobility. Nami tucked the flare gun into her belt and slowly stood. She wrapped an arm around the trunk of the nearest tree for support. When she was finally standing, she hesitantly lowered her left foot. A piercing jolt of pain erupted from her ankle when she first pressed her foot upon the ground, but it faded to a thrumming ache the longer she held her foot against the forest floor.

Nami reluctantly released her grip on the tree and took a stumbling step forward. She closed her eyes as she waited for the sharp pain to once again fade.

"You're not going to get very far like that."

Her eyes snapped open. A young man stood before her. Nami took an instinctual step back and winced when her foot once again struck the ground. She scanned his figure while reaching for her clima-tact. His short hair was a striking shade of blue. It stood out, particularly bright against his darkly tanned skin. Eyes that were a similar shade to his hair sat above high cheekbones. He had a slight build, and wore simple dark pants and an even darker vest. A gold band encircled his right bicep, and just below it sat a white patch. Nami glanced up. His lips were pulled back in an easy smile.

"Who are you?"

His hands fell to his hips. "Remember those last bounty hunters who failed to capture you? Well now it's my job to bring you in."

Nami raised her clima-tact. "You're a bounty hunter?"

His head fell back and Nami was startled when his shoulders shook with amused laughter. "Me? A bounty hunter?" His laughter subsided as he rubbed at his eyes. "No way. My position here is more as an overseer." He gestured behind him. Several figures stepped out from the trees. "These guys are the bounty hunters. My particular skillset isn't very useful here, so my job is to ensure that these guys actually capture you."

Nami's eyes shifted over the hunters who had just joined them. There were six all-together. Three had medium builds, two were very large, and one was small. They all stared at her with cold eyes. Nami looked back to the blue haired boy. "I'll ask you again. Who are you? And who sent you after me?"

He tilted his head. "The name is Miko, Miko Mann." His eyes crinkled. "And we're not exactly supposed to talk about the big bad boss."

Nami took a step back. "Why aren't you affected by the pollen?"

His eyes flicked to the smear of pink above her lip. "We had warning. I'm actually impressed you figured out a way to offset the pollen. Though it's not a very good look for you."

Nami scowled. She had a retort ready that involved blue hair, but paused when she noticed white patches on the arms of the bounty hunters. She looked at the patch on his own arm. "A vaccine?"

He reached up to touch the patch. "Apparently it discourages those damn flies from biting us. Don't have to worry about any stupid pollen if you're not bitten in the first place."

Nami winced as she took another step back.

"You can't exactly run away. So I suggest you let them take you. You'll only get hurt if you try to fight back."

Nami's ignored him; her eyes shifted as she viewed the surrounding trees. It would be difficult to create any kind of big storm in the cramped area. She would be best sticking with close range attacks. Nami flicked her clima-tact. "Thunder charge."

Miko shrugged. "Suit yourself." He twisted to look at the bounty hunters fanned out behind him. "Don't hurt her any more than you have to."

One of the medium sized hunters smirked. "We'll do our best, Big Mr. _Man_." The bounty hunters around him chuckled as though it were a familiar joke.

Miko crossed his arms and scowled. "Just get going – or I'll remember this when we are back on the water."

At that, the chuckles ceased and the color in the bounty hunters' faces drained. They turned towards her. Nami passed her hand over the tip of the clima-tact, absorbing electricity into the weerlig stone. Her two weapons crackled with deadly voltage as the hunters approached.

Nami shifted, trying to keep as much weight on her right foot as possible. This was bad – really bad. She was no match for six bounty hunters, especially with an injured foot.

One of the big ones reached her first. He had a long, thick beard that skimmed across the top of his round belly. Nami wrinkled her nose at his lumbering approach. He didn't look very fast. Nami tensed her arms and thrust her clima tact at his belly. The electrified edge of her clima-tact squished into his extended stomach. Huh. He wasn't fast at all.

Nami narrowed her eyes as the electricity engulfed him with a piercing buzz. When the electricity was expended, she yanked it back. The bearded man blinked once, twice. But he did not fall. Nami's stomach plummeted when he rolled his shoulders and stepped towards her again. It was impossible, that much electricity should have put him on the ground.

Miko's voice rose over the commotion. "Not much can bring Old Gen down. We call him the walking wall."

Nami watched his approach with wide eyes. If that much electricity didn't give him pause, what could possibly stop him? Nami was so focused on the bearded man that she didn't notice the other bounty hunter's approach until an intense pain blossomed in her left ankle. The smallest bounty hunter held it in her grasp. She yanked and Nami screamed in agony as she fell to the ground. She kicked her right foot out and it connected with the bounty hunter's face. The woman let go of her ankle. Despite her ankle's screaming pain, Nami rolled to her feet.

Her gaze shifted between the six bounty hunters and the blue haired boy who stood behind them. _Screw this_. Nami tucked her clima-tact into her belt and took off in a hobbling run into the underbrush behind her. Nami slipped and stumbled through the ferns and bushes, very much aware that she probably couldn't outrun them on her ankle; but she knew that she certainly couldn't fight all of them. Nami ground her teeth together as she pushed herself to run faster, determinedly ignoring the flaring pain in her ankle.

The sound of the bounty hunter's pursuit echoed through the quiet forest. Branches cracked and bushes rustled as the hunters barreled through the forest behind her. Nami had just twisted to look behind her when she ran head first into a hard body. An arm wrapped around her. She screamed.

* * *

Trees. So many trees. Zoro's feet dragged through the dirt and moss as he stared distractedly up at the canopy above him. Zoro found his eyes tracing a branch's twisting pathway amongst the canopy. Wide leaves dangled from it, obscuring its thinnest end from sight altogether.

Zoro tore his gaze away as he turned to walk deeper into the forest. His gaze lazily flowed from tree to tree. He couldn't focus – needed to go further into the forest. He vaguely wondered where everyone else was, but he didn't dwell on it. He didn't want to. He only desired to walk further. He was also dimly aware of a dull ache in the soles of his feet. How long had he been walking? Zoro shrugged. That didn't really matter either.

Zoro walked lazily forward for an indeterminable length of time. He knew that something was wrong with him, but he couldn't bring himself to care. Therefore, he was still aimlessly walking when a sharp scream pierced the forest. Zoro's head raised and his feet unconsciously slowed. The scream – it had sounded pained. And it was someone – someone he knew.

Zoro's foot hovered, ready to continue forward. But the swordsman ground his teeth, forcing himself to step in the direction of the scream. Zoro's gaze continued to drift around the surrounding trees, and his footsteps kept straying from the direction he meant to go. But every time, he would sharply shake his head and resolutely step in the right direction. He couldn't think. But he knew, just _knew_ someone important was in danger.

Zoro's footsteps had once again slowed and he was staring up into the canopy when a heavy rustling came to his attention. He glanced down in time to see an orange haired blur stumble from the bushes. Without warning, she barreled directly into his chest. Zoro automatically lifted his arms to steady her.

She screamed as she struggled in his grip. But upon tilting her head up, the scream died on her lips. Zoro's eyebrows drew together. "Nami?"

The orange haired woman surprised him by pushing her face into his chest. "Zoro." Her left leg was trembling. Zoro tightened his arm around her, and resisted the urge to walk deeper into the forest. A bead of sweat collected on his brow. She needed him, but all he wanted to do was walk in this damned forest. What was wrong with him?

Zoro's voice was strained. "Nami. There's something wrong with me."

She started. "Right! Hold on – don't start walking yet." She quickly began digging through her bag. Her face lit up as she pulled a small pink flower triumphantly from the bag. Zoro frowned in confusion as Nami crushed it between her fingers into a fine, pink paste. Without hesitating, she stood on her toes and rubbed the goo underneath his nose.

Zoro jerked back. "Oi! What was that for?" He moved to wipe it off, but Nami grabbed his arm.

"The pollen in this forest is what's making you crazy. This pink stuff is the cure. You have to smell it." Zoro wrinkled his nose as the floral scent entered his nostrils. Nami looked towards the forest behind her with wide eyes. "And we're going to have company soon, so I need you to be sane."

Zoro blinked. His head was already considerably clearer. He looked at the surrounding trees and was relieved to find that he no longer wanted to walk toward them. He let out a breath of air as he turned back to Nami. She had her clima-tact in hand and had oriented herself towards an area of heavy underbrush. He frowned when he noticed that she was leaning heavily on her right foot. "You're hurt."

Nami's eyes squinted as she pursed her lips. "I think it's just a sprain. The people coming after me are a much bigger problem." Nami's fingers were white around her clima-tact. "They're under the orders of the same person who sent the last bounty hunters."

Zoro loosed his first katana. The forest echoed with its metallic rasp. "Did they hurt you?" His voice came out flat and hard.

Nami raised her eyebrows. "Yes and no. I was already hurt; they just aggravated it."

Zoro nodded, loosing the second katana. "How many?"

"Six bounty hunters and this blue-haired guy."

The snapping of twigs and rustling of bushes was at once heard. Nami tensed. Zoro placed one katana firmly in his mouth and drew the last. He glanced at Nami, his voice was muffled by the sword. "You're hurt. Step back, I'll take care of them."

Nami nodded, wincing as she took a slow step back. Zoro's eyes shifted to her upper lip. "Nice moustache by the way."

Nami's cheeks colored red as her lips turned down in a scowl. "Well now you have one too. Trust me – it doesn't look any better with your hair."

Zoro chuckled as he turned back to the rustling underbrush. It was good to be back to the usual. His hands tightened around the hilts of his katanas as he narrowed his eyes at the quivering bushes. _Bring it on_.

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Zoro is back! It was fun getting in his head again :) Thanks for reading and I will try to update again soon. Reviews and critiques are always appreciated :)


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: One Piece does not belong to me, it belongs to Oda.

Thank you guys again for the reviews :) Well! This segment came pretty fast - I have to say, it was very fun to write! I'll tell you now, the entire chapter consists of Zoro being his bad-ass self. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it :)

Chapter 20:

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Zoro was in motion well before the first bounty hunter emerged from the trees; their pattering footfalls gave them away. Zoro zeroed in on the twitch of a fern. _There_. The swordsman slid across the mossy ground, raising his katana in a graceful arc. He brought them down just as a small bounty hunter flew from the bushes. Sun glinted off hard steel. She was cut down.

Zoro swirled his swords, already looking for his next target. Another bounty hunter emerged from the thicket, not far behind the first. This one raised a large sword in defense, but it gave Zoro no pause. He tensed his muscles, knocking the sword away with a powerful swing. He twisted, swinging both katana up. Steel met flesh; the second bounty hunter fell as quickly as the first.

Zoro glanced back. Nami stood several yards back, leaning against a large tree. She held her clima-tact and the hand with the baro-brace was raised and ready. As Zoro listened for the approach of the rest of the bounty hunters, he felt anger brewing in his gut. These bounty hunters were hunting Nami; and for reasons unknown, they were trying to take her. They had chased her through the forest, hurt and scared. Zoro clenched his katana. And they had thought that they would get away with it. A feral grin spread across his lips. He was going to show them the extent of their folly.

Nami must have gotten a glimpse of his face, for her voice rose soft and questioning behind him. "Zoro?"

Zoro turned back to the trees, readying his katana. "Once I'm done with them, these bounty hunters aren't going to be able to hunt anyone ever again."

He didn't have the chance to hear Nami's response; the remaining four bounty hunters emerged from the trees. At the sight of their fallen companions, their eyes widened and then narrowed into slits. With a pitchy roar, the hunters charged him. Zoro crouched, his sharp eyes taking in their every moment. The two larger hunters held back. The regular sized ones were going to attack him first. Zoro flexed his muscles; he didn't mind. He would get to them eventually.

Zoro kicked to the side, knocking one hunter down. He used the momentum to propel himself towards the second one. This one held a gun. Zoro didn't give him a chance to fire it. The hunter only had time to raise the weapon before Zoro sliced a katana down. The gun broke at the base, splitting cleanly in two. The bullets poured uselessly onto the mossy ground in a pattering of insignificant thuds. With every thud, the fear in the hunter's eyes grew. His eyes were wide when Zoro's katana came down upon him.

Zoro swirled to face the bounty hunter he had knocked away. As he was turning, he spotted a figure crouched high in a tree. His blue hair stood out against the green canopy above. That must be the guy that Nami was talking about; he would have to keep an eye on him. But Zoro didn't have time to dwell on it. The hunter he had kicked was back on her feet and she was charging him with a curved scimitar.

Zoro blocked her swing with the katana in his mouth. He simultaneously thrust up with each katana in his hands. As his steel cut across her arms, she screamed, dropping her curved blade. Zoro kicked her in the stomach, sending her flying back into the trees. She struck a large trunk with a sharp crack. The bounty hunter slid to the ground and did not again rise.

That left the big ones. Zoro turned just as they charged him. The swordsman sprinted directly towards them, dropping into a slide at the last second. He slid across the dirt and moss on his back, crossing his katana over his chest. As he slid between the legs of the first big hunter, the sharp tips of his blades cut deep into his thick legs. The man fell with a bellow. Zoro sprang to his feet and struck him over the head with the hilt of his blade – hard. Eyes rolled back as his head dropped to the ground with a deep thud. Five down, one to go.

Zoro turned to the last bounty hunter. His face was hidden behind a long beard and though he stood tall above Zoro, a thick gut protruded from his ill-fitting button down shirt. Zoro raised his eyebrows. This guy was a bounty hunter? More like a food hunter. Zoro glanced back down at his belly. And a successful one at that.

Zoro readied his katana as the large man took lumbering steps toward him. The swordsman didn't hesitate. As soon as the man was in range, he spun, slicing diagonally across his chest. It was a debilitating move – the same one he had used on the bounty hunter Kikori. At the very least, it would make him incapable of movement – if it didn't kill him altogether. After slicing his chest, Zoro finished his spin and lowered his swords.

He looked to Nami and grinned around the hilt of his sword. "That was easy."

Nami's horrified gaze stared directly behind him. "Zoro!"

Zoro had just begun to turn when he felt a huge fist connect with the back of his head. He gasped as he flew through the air. Stars were flickering in his vision as the ground rose up to meet him. He was dimly aware of sliding across the dirt and moss before the world went dark.

He must have only been out for a second, for when he came to, he felt soft hands cradling his head. Zoro groaned as he tried to think over the pounding in his head. He opened his eyes to Nami's worried face. Her eyes were wide and her lips were moving quickly. What was she saying? Zoro cringed as sounds began returning.

"They call him the walking wall. All the electricity in my clima-tact couldn't bring him down." As she talked, he felt Nami's fingers running over the back of his head, likely checking the damage. He cringed when she touched the large bump that guy had left him with. Stars filled his vision once more. Nami's hands disappeared. He strained his ears.

"…might be a concussion…Chopper would know…I've got this."

Huh? What did that mean? For a moment the pounding in his head occupied all of his capacities. Finally, Zoro managed to crack an eye open and was horrified to see Nami standing in front of the giant bounty hunter. The orange-haired navigator was completely dwarfed by the hunter before her and was leaning heavily on her right foot, but nonetheless held her clima-tact poised before her.

Zoro struggled to his feet, but as he rose to his knees, the world spun around him. Zoro braced his arms against the forest floor as trees and plants oscillated in his vision. How hard had that guy hit him? He blinked heavily and tried to focus on Nami. Was she okay?

Nami seemed to be keeping several feet of distance between her and the bounty hunter. Good. Her hair whipped around her and the plants and trees danced in the strong wind. Huh. Maybe the oscillating plants weren't completely in his head. As Zoro watched, Nami directed a powerful gust towards her opponent. Despite the throbbing in his head, Zoro managed a smile. Smart. She wasn't trying to bring him down. Just push him the hell away from them.

But even as the wind whistled through the trees, the large man dug his heavy feet into the earth. When he took a heavy step towards her, Zoro's stomach dropped. It wasn't going to work. He was still too powerful. The world spun again as Zoro pushed himself to his feet. He lifted his arms, only to discover that his hands were empty. His swords, where were they? Zoro blinked, working to make his eyes focus. There. They lay in a heap on the dirt. He must have dropped them as he flew.

Zoro fell to his knees beside the swords. He was in no state for Santoryu. He sheathed one, and with hands that moved slower than he liked, picked up the other two. When he looked up, his body went cold. The bounty hunter's large fingers were wrapped around Nami's neck. The muscles in his fat arms bulged as he lifted her up in front of him. Nami's hands pried desperately at his heavy fingers while her feet kicked in the open air. The bounty hunter's fingers tightened. Zoro was distantly aware of the blue-haired kid's angry shout.

Zoro ran. The world spun around him, but he kept his eyes locked on the bounty hunter and Nami. No matter what, he had to get to her. He blinked and he was in front of them. Zoro didn't pause as he bent, using the side of his katana to sweep beneath the hunter's heavy legs. He knew it wouldn't do much damage, but he only needed him to let go of Nami.

It worked. As the hunter slipped backwards, his grip on the navigator loosened. Zoro jumped forward, catching her falling body in the crook of his arm. He slid to a stop several yards away, one knee digging into the moist dirt. He held his katana before him, crossed like a shield, as Nami leaned against his chest, coughing and sucking in deep breaths of air. Her neck was an angry red where the hunter's large hands had gripped her.

"Are you okay?"

Her head tilted up, and he saw that her face was pale. When she spoke, her voice came out hoarse and strained. "Are _you_?" Her hand pressed against his chest. "You have a lump the size of a mikan on the back of your head."

Zoro winced as said lump chose that moment to throb. He looked around; the forest was still. At least the world had stopped spinning. "It's getting better."

Zoro tensed as the bounty hunter groaned and began to push himself to his feet. Nami stiffened in his arms. Her fingers tightened around the material of his shirt. "How are we going to stop this guy?" With her other hand, she reached for her clima-tact; it had fallen to the ground several feet away. Setting one katana briefly down, Zoro picked the blue rod up. But rather than place it in her waiting hand, he tucked it firmly in her belt.

"Despite his orders, this guy wants to hurt you. I'm going to take care of him. And you-" Zoro scooped his sword laden arms underneath her, careful to keep the blades well away from her soft skin. "-Are going to wait over here."

As Zoro deposited her softly beneath a tree, she opened her mouth in protest. He shook his head before she could even get the words out. "I can handle this guy. Wait here."

Nami's lips pressed together in a thin line as she reluctantly nodded. "Don't let him hit you again."

As he stepped away, Zoro gave her a lopsided grin. "I learn from my mistakes. He won't touch me." And with that, Zoro turned to face his opponent. He stabbed a katana in the ground before tugging the bandana from his bicep. With one hand, he deftly wrapped it around his forehead.

Peering from beneath the dark cloth, he watched the bounty hunter slowly stand. This guy could take a hit, but he was seriously slow. Zoro yanked his katana from the ground and began to stalk carefully towards the large man. The bounty hunter grunted, swinging a meaty fist at Zoro's head. The swordsman easily dodged it as his sharp eyes scanned the hulking man for any sign of a weakness.

Zoro had just dodged another punch when a sound made him freeze. A guttural growl ground its way through the quiet forest. Behind him, he heard the steady pad of heavy footfalls. Nami sucked in a sharp breath of air. The hairs on the back of Zoro's neck stood on end. This was bad. Stepping a safe distance away from the bounty hunter, he turned.

Stalking its way through the nearby trees was the gigantic figure of a wolf. Its huge black paws sank into the mossy floor as hackles rippled along its ridged back. Behind its massive shoulders sat the very man Zoro had left horribly wounded a few islands back. Kikori's hat was pulled low over his face; his only visible feature was a set of thin, grimacing lips. The large axe was once more strapped to his chest. Below it sat two red, puckered scars.

The blue-haired boy's adolescent voice drifted down to them. "You didn't think I would come without backup did you? Meet the boss's newest recruit."

Zoro clenched his katana. "We've already met."

"Right! He's been a lone wolf for a while. He was the one who thought he could take you guys on alone." He laughed. "Our boss decided to give this guy a chance to redeem himself by recruiting him as one of our hired bounty hunters for this mission. And he was explicitly ordered to _capture_ her." The boy's voice dipped low as he spoke the final statement, which seemed to be directed at Kikori himself.

Kikori's lips pulled back further, but he nodded nonetheless. However, when he turned to Zoro, his lips shifted to his eerie half smile. "Zoro, Zoro, Zoro." Kikori shook his head. "You should have finished the job – killed me while you had the chance." He and Venor padded into the small clearing. "You see, my dog's got your girl's scent." He patted the creature's dark flank. "And he's never going to forget it." The wolf-dog's lips pulled back into a snarl as its large head turned towards Nami.

Zoro moved to put himself between them and Nami, but as his muscles tensed to move, a heavy arm wrapped around him. As the giant bounty hunter wrapped his bulky arms around Zoro's upper torso, Zoro's felt his arms pressed uselessly against his body. The swordsman growled as he strained in the bounty hunter's grip. How was this guy so strong? Nami struggled to her feet as the snarling wolf and its rider stalked towards her. Zoro thrashed, desperate to loose himself from the giant's grip.

The tip of Nami's clima-tact erupted in sparks, but when she moved to thrust it at the dark dog, her left foot gave out beneath her. Venor easily jumped away from her clima-tact as Nami fell clumsily onto her side. He could see her scowl, equal parts frustration and fear. Zoro's heart hammered heavily in his chest. There was no way she could defend herself against them; with that foot she didn't have the agility to attack, let alone dodge. Zoro stilled. But she had been able to run. It was an awkward, hobbling run; but a run nonetheless.

"Nami! Run!"

Zoro screwed his eyes closed and slammed his head back into the big guy's face. As he had predicted, a whole new set of stars blossomed in his vision. But Zoro was consoled by the fact that the bounty hunter did actually drop him. He wasn't sure if it was due to surprise, or if he actually managed to hurt him, but at least he was free to fight.

Well – mostly. Zoro swayed on his feet as he tried to blink the stars away. When his vision cleared, he saw that Nami hovered at the edge of the clearing. She looked between Zoro and Kikori, her expression concerned. Zoro kicked the giant behind him back and charged Kikori and Venor with a snarl of his own. The swordsman knocked his shoulder into the giant beast, sending him and his owner sliding across the ground. Zoro pursued them, slicing a katana across the beast's flank. Venor snarled. Leaving its master sprawled on the ground, it lunged at Zoro. The swordsman just managed to raise his swords as the snarling creature jumped upon him. Snarling jaws snapped inches above his face, but his crossed swords were managing to keep to beast at bay.

Zoro twisted his head to the side in time to see Kikori crawling to his feet. The hunter yanked the axe from its harness and turned to face Nami. Zoro's arms shook as he tried to shove the vicious beast away, but it wouldn't budge. Spittle from the beasts shining teeth splattered his face. He grimaced and looked for Nami. She still stood at the edge of the forest. Her left leg shook with strain and she held her clima-tact tight to her chest as she watched Kikori's approach. Zoro groaned. She needed to get out of here.

Zoro sucked in a deep breath. "Nami! I need you to run!" He growled as he pushed back at Venor. "Right! Now!"

Nami's wide eyes held his own.

"I'll catch up. I promise." Zoro grimaced at the dog above him before looking back at her. Her chest rose and fell with quick sharp breaths. Kikori moved closer. "Please!"

An emotion he could not name flashed across Nami's face. Her eyes met and held his once more. He could palpably feel the challenge in her gaze. He could imagine what she was thinking; probably something along the lines of: _Zoro, if you die I swear I will raise your debt so high it follows you into the afterlife_. The thought made the side of his lips pull back in a grin. He thrust his chin in the direction of the forest. _Go_. She reluctantly nodded, and then turned quickly away, taking off in a hobbling run through the trees. Kikori cursed and sprinted after her. Zoro twisted his head and saw the giant hunter lumber into the forest not far behind him. Zoro cursed. He didn't believe in gods, but he prayed anyway. _Let her run fast_.

With a growl that rivaled the beast's own, Zoro thrust his katana upwards.

* * *

Indeed, Zoro in action is a ton of fun to write! The action is certainly picking up, and from here on out we will be getting into the meat of the story. I hope you are all still enjoying it, whoever is reading this out there. Thanks for reading! As always reviews and critiques are incredibly helpful :)


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: One Piece does not belong to me, it belongs to Oda.

I have to apologize for this update taking a bit longer. In writing it, I hit a bit of a block. For whatever reason, the words were not flowing as easily as they usually do. But despite my frustrations, I did manage to find some of the words I was looking for. I hope it's still an enjoyable read. Anyway, I appreciate all of the reviews I have gotten so far. You guys are great! Without further ado, here is the next installment in the Straw Hat Pirates' adventure :)_  
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Chapter 21:

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Nami panted as she slid down the center of the creek bed, the soles of her shoes slipping on the slick, shiny rocks. The stream's serene gurgling was drowned out by her splashing footfalls. Nami cursed the noise, but it couldn't be helped. She could either move quickly or quietly; And right now, she needed to be quick. She had been running from Kikori and the giant bounty hunter for the last several minutes – and they weren't far behind. When Nami had spied the winding stream, she had quickly slid down the grassy slope and into the shallow water, hoping to buy herself some time from the men who were tracking her.

Her shoes were soaked and her legs dripping water when she saw the thick branch hanging low over the stream. Its dark bark was splattered with green and gray lichen. The fungus was coarse beneath her fingers as she wrapped her hands around the branch and heaved herself from the gurgling water. In a swift but clumsy motion, she hooked her good leg over the branch and pulled herself upon it. The branch rocked beneath her weight, but mercifully it did not break. If it had, the noise would surely have given her away.

Nami pulled herself across the branch as quickly as she was able. She hoped that her short detour through the trees would further confuse her trackers. As she worked her way towards the center of the large tree, she tried not to think about the swordsman she had left in the meadow. The image of him struggling beneath the massive black beast flashed fresh in her memory. Nami flinched.

She felt slightly sick as she pulled herself onto the branch of an adjacent tree. Scooting along, images played in her mind – horrible scenarios of Zoro's fight with the wolf going terribly wrong. At one point she stopped altogether, resolved to retrace her steps back to the meadow. How could she have left him? But she stopped before she had completed the turn upon the thin branch. Nami squeezed her eyes closed and let out a slow breath. This was Zoro. He could handle himself. She would only make things worse if she allowed herself to be captured.

Nami's fingers dug into the coarse wood as she pulled herself along. Zoro would be fine. He had promised to meet her right? And Zoro did _not_ break his promises. With that final thought, Nami lowered herself slowly to the ground, stretching her good leg out until the tip of her shoe skimmed the underbrush. She fell to the ground with a soft thud, biting her lip against her ankle's sudden flare of pain. As she limped deeper into the forest, she did her best to ignore the heavy weight in her stomach; her lingering fear for the green-haired swordsman.

Nami hadn't gone far when her ankle gave out again. The navigator stifled her cry as she pitched suddenly sideways, managing at the last moment to catch herself on a tree's wide trunk. She soon felt herself leaning heavily against the rough bark as the muscles in her left leg clenched from running in an awkward gait. She felt the leg begin to quake as she gradually sank down to the damp forest floor. Nami sucked in slow, deep breaths. A short break. Just a breather. That was all she needed.

Nami clenched her jaw as she slowly extended her leg. She closed her eyes as she pressed her injured ankle against the cool dirt. Her exhale sounded absurdly loud in the still forest. Eyes still closed, she held her breath and strained her ears, listening for the sounds of pursuit. She didn't hear anything – yet. But they were out there somewhere. Going up the stream and climbing the tree had bought her some time, but she wasn't sure how much.

When Nami opened her eyes, she blinked twice at the scene before her. It was beautiful. Muted rays of sunlight sifted through the thick foliage, dimly lighting the surrounding forest. A moth's white wings were briefly caught in an afternoon ray's yellow glow. For a moment, the fluttering wings seemed alight in an ethereal glow, a powerful contrast to the shade that permeated the forest. But a bough sighed in the breeze and the light shifted; the moth's glowing ceased, and the small creature flitted away into the darkness. From deeper within the trees, echoed the mournful cooing of an owl.

Nami let out a shaking sigh. Why couldn't they ever visit these beautiful islands without encountering life threatening situations? She slowly tugged her leg back as she prepared to rise, but at the crack of a twig, she froze. Sticks and leaves crunched beneath measured footfalls.

"Little girlie. I know you're out here."

At Kikori's deep voice, Nami's hand automatically moved her clima-tact. Her fingers wrapped around its cool metal as she worked to slow her breathing.

"You can't hide from me out here. I thrive in the woods."

Nami's heart hammered in her chest as his footsteps drew closer. Pale fingers drew her clima-tact carefully from her belt.

"Venor and I actually had our first hunt together in woods just like these." Kikori's gravelly voice sent shivers down her spine. "A girl and her grandma."

Eyes widening, she raised a quivering hand to her mouth. She felt her stomach churn. He was a monster.

"The girl was about your age." His axe whistled lazily through the air. "And well – after that we just _had _to hunt again. We ended up making a living hunting down pirates with bounties."

Nami reached for the tree behind her. Her fingers dug into the thick bark, as she carefully pulled herself to her feet. A twig snapped nearby. Nami pressed her back firmly against the trunk; her lips pressed together as she exhaled slowly through her nostrils.

"Now, where are you?"

The gravelly voice sounded directly behind her; he was likely just beyond the tree. Nami swallowed, drawing her clima-tact to her chest. As his heavy footsteps moved steadily closer, she clenched her hand around the weapon. She would strike and then move – use the trees for cover.

A deep, mellow hoot sounded nearby. Kikori's footsteps halted at the sound. At once, there was a fluttering of wings and a small, dark shape passed overhead. Nami started and Kikori cursed in surprise at the owl's sudden flight. Nami moved. This was her chance.

The hunter was still looking up when she swung herself around the tree. Nami quickly analyzed the scene. With tightly packed trees, there still wasn't much room for movement. Kikori's head turned back in time to be butted solidly in the face by the end of her clima-tact. She hadn't had time to electrify it, but the hunter still stumbled back at the impact. She lowered her clima-tact before slashing diagonally with her baro-brace. A powerful gust of wind struck him square in the chest.

Nami watched with satisfaction as the hunter was flung into the side of a tree. The forest echoed with a deep crack as the wood splintered beneath him. His body slowly peeled from the tree and fell to the ground below. With shaking arms, Kikori raised himself briefly off the ground before collapsing face-first into the dirt.

Nami breathed a sigh of relief, letting her arm fall. It wasn't until she leaned back against the tree that she became aware of the quick, heavy footfalls. Nami froze. _Oh no_. A massive crack sounded. She rolled to the side as pieces of the tree she had been leaning against exploded around her. She looked up to see the giant bounty hunter standing where the tree had once stood. At his feet was what was left of a stump. The top half of the tree had fallen into the surrounding foliage, its branches entangling nearby trees and bushes. Around the giant, splintered pieces of wood and bark littered the forest floor.

The large man's lips pulled back in a stony frown as he turned to face her. Nami scrambled to her feet. She planted her clima-tact against the ground, leaning heavily against it as she hurried backwards. She needed to put some space between her and this guy. Nami's eye's raked his huge figure; she still had no idea how to beat him.

Stumbling backwards, her hand brushed over a metal object at her side. Nami stilled. The flare. Still backing away, the navigator tugged the small gun from her belt. Its compact form was surprisingly heavy in her grasp. She lifted it, leveling it at the approaching bounty hunter. She had two choices: fire it at the big guy or shoot it up for help. Nami's finger hovered over the trigger. She could shoot it at him, but there was the possibility that it would have little to no effect on the giant man. If she shot it up, her nakama would be able to find her - unless they were still wandering the forest. Nami cringed. Had Usopp even been able to stop Luffy?

Nami took another step back. But if she did fire it, and it didn't work, she was going to be in big trouble – with no one there to help. With that thought, Nami lifted the flare gun above her head and fired. The glowing flare left the barrel with a hollow pop. Nami watched as the red beacon sailed high into the sky. The bounty hunter paused as his eyes followed the bright flare too.

Nami dropped the gun as she retreated a few steps further. Now she had to either defeat this guy or last long enough for her friends to get there. Nami twisted, glancing at the terrain behind her. She squinted. It looked like the forest floor dropped into a slope in the distance. Nami looked back at the walking wall. His eyes were once more trained on her. Frowning in thought, Nami took another few stumbling steps back. When Zoro had been able to knock his feet out from under him, that guy had fallen hard and it had taken him a good minute to get back up.

Nami stepped back further. On uneven ground, she might have an advantage. She looked back at the slope. From where she stood, it was hard to tell its steepness or even how far it fell – but if the slope was far enough, she might be able to do a bit of damage by knocking him down it. Nami looked again at his giant body. If that guy started rolling, he wasn't going to stop.

Heavy footfalls signified his approach. In one swift motion, Nami tucked her clima-tact into her belt and turned towards the slope. Nami forced herself to run, gritting her teeth every time her injured foot struck the ground. But she could still hear his pounding footsteps behind her – she couldn't stop now. Nami pumped her arms at her sides as she forced herself to move faster. She stumbled when her ankle gave out again, but she threw her weight forward and managed to keep moving.

Nami's eyes lit as she saw the ground begin to curve. Right there. There was a visible edge where the earth dropped down. Nami kept her eyes on that spot. They were almost there. Just before she reached the drop off, Nami threw her weight to the side, skidding across a littering of leaves. The giant hunter dug his heavy boots into the ground as he attempted to stop. His eyes went wide as the thick soles of his boots continued sliding over the forest floor. As he reached the edge of the slope, Nami lunged forward, throwing all of her weight at his back. The giant gave a startled bellow as the extra weight propelled his massive body over the edge.

As his round body took off in a spinning roll, Nami was pleased to see that the slope was long, and seemed to drop steeply downward at the bottom. While this would be helpful in defeating the giant hunter, Nami was quickly realizing that this did not bode well for her own well-being. In pushing her opponent off the edge, she had unbalanced herself as well, and Nami found herself pitching forward, seconds away from toppling down the slope behind the giant. The navigator frantically spun her arms in an attempt to regain her balance – but it was too late. Nami shrieked as she tumbled after the rolling giant.

The world was reduced to flashes of color as Nami tumbled over the rough terrain. She winced when a rock dug into her shoulder. When the slope's incline increased and her spinning roll sped, jarring her injured ankle, she cried aloud. Continually buffeted by the hard slope, and moving too quickly to hope of stopping, all Nami could do was wrap her arms over her head and close her eyes against the nauseating spinning of the world.

Nami gasped as she felt herself drop further. Her eyes snapped open when her body began suddenly sliding over smooth stone. As soon as her eyes opened, she saw the gaping mouth of a cave that opened at the base of the rock slide. What was _that_? Nami stretched her arms out and kicked her legs as she scrambled for purchase on the smooth stone. But she could do nothing to slow her descent. As she slid towards the base of the slope, the dark entrance loomed before her. Nearing the cave, the slope at once flattened. Nami shrieked as she tumbled into the darkness.

Nami cringed. But instead of landing on the hard stone, she was propelled harmlessly onto a soft, round surface. Groaning, she cracked an eye open. The navigator shrieked again at the sight that met her eyes. Looking down, she was practically face to face with the giant bounty hunter. It had been his large gut that had cushioned her fall. Her shoes dug into his squishy stomach as she scrambled backwards, wincing when she tumbled down onto the cave's hard floor.

Nami held her breath as she leaned forward to peer at the downed hunter. His mouth dangled open; a line of blood trailed from a wide nostril, down the side of his face. His lids were cracked open, but his eyes had rolled back and only white was visible in his slitted gaze.

Nami heaved a sigh as she sat back. The bounty hunter had fallen much quicker than her – obviously the tumble down the slope had taken a heavy toll on his large body. Of course, it hadn't been easy on her either. Nami rubbed a hand over her aching shoulder. Hand still massaging her tender skin, she twisted to survey her location.

Past the hunter's prone form, the cave narrowed into a tunnel. In the dim light, she could make out vague designs on the stone walls. Nami squinted. Symbols reminiscent of those they had seen in the ruins adorned the walls on either side of the passageway. Her eyes followed the designs etched onto the walls until they faded into the darkness that loomed further down the hallway. Nami shook her head – Robin would love this. As her thoughts turned towards the archeologist, Nami wondered if she and Sanji had managed to find any of the crew. Had they seen her flare? If they had, they could very well be on their way too – though there was no telling how long it would take them to cross the massive forest.

Nami glanced up. The entrance to the cave was wide and sat above a slight, gravelly incline. From where she sat, she could see the blue sky that beckoned beyond the cavern's entrance. Buoyed by the sight, Nami stood. She wasn't looking forward to the climb back up the slope, but it was better than staying here. She cast a wary glance towards the still bounty hunter. If that guy decided to wake up, she wanted to be as far away as possible.

She had taken a single, shaking step when a deep _whoosh_ sounded behind her. Nami's hair fluttered around her face as a gust of air brushed against her back. Frowning, she turned. The air swirled around her, smelling of dust and mildew. It whistled as it curved around the walls of the tunnel beyond the cave. Along with the gust, there was a noise, barely perceptible to her ears. But when she closed her eyes, she could hear it. Seeming to emanate from the walls themselves, was a subtle groaning.

Nami was still, marveling over the mysterious breeze and the noises that accompanied it, when they both slowly ceased. The breeze tapered off and the groan faded moments later. The hairs on the back of Nami's neck stood on end. The whole event was not unlike a massive sigh. Nami tentatively touched the rock wall beside her. The stone was hard; cool beneath her fingers.

Nami lifted her hand from the wall in time to feel a single, additional gust of air. Nami's hand fell to her side when, following the gust, the symbols engraved upon the wall glowed with a pale, white light. Shocked, Nami blinked. And then blinked once more. As she watched with wide eyes, the light faded from the ruins and soon the hallway was dark once more. Nami swallowed as she took a careful step back. This was all getting too strange – it was time to go.

Nami had just made a quick turn towards the entrance when a guttural grinding erupted. She tensed. _What now?_ Nami gasped in alarm when a thick pillared gate began to lower from the top of the cave's wide entrance. Nami swore and began a hobbling run towards the opening. Nami slipped as she scrambled up the gravelly path to the entrance. The gate was rapidly lowering, its gray pillars obscuring the blue sky beyond. The gray gate was nearly at the ground; soon the entire entrance would be blocked by the thick bars. Nami dug her feet into the gravel as she hurried up the path. She glanced up; her stomach dropped. She wasn't going to make it.

Nami cried out in frustration when her thin soles slipped on the gravel and she once again fell to her knees. She didn't have time. Nami fixed her gaze on the ground as she scrambled up the rest of the slope. She didn't look up, but she knew the gate was seconds from closing. When she slipped again, she knew it was over – she had missed her chance to escape the cave.

Nami hadn't even had the chance to lift her head when a swift scraping reached her ears. The swish of fabric over smooth stone. Nami tilted her head up in time to see a dark figure slide beneath the rapidly closing gap beneath the gate. In the next second, the heavy gate struck the ground with a deep thud.

The figure rolled twice before sliding to a stop beside her kneeling form. Nami let out a shuddering sigh as she turned her head up to look at the sweating swordsman. She wasn't alone. Nami tried to control her voice, but it nonetheless held a slight shake. "You caught up."

"For having an injured ankle, you covered a lot of ground." Zoro panted as he leaned forward, bracing his hands on his knees. "Took me a while - to catch up."

"You saw the flare?"

Zoro frowned, "I didn't notice one. I just followed after the direction you left, and then kept going south."

Nami's eye twitched; her previous relief in Zoro's company rapidly fading. "South is the _complete _opposite direction. I ran North"

Zoro scratched at his green hair. "Really?"

Nami took measured breaths. "Baka."

But Zoro wasn't listening to her. He straightened as he gazed around the dark cavern. His eyes moved from the downed bounty hunter to the hallway decorated with symbols that lay beyond. He looked back at the huge gate that had lowered behind them. "What did you do to get in this mess?"

Nami clenched her hands into fists. She would not hit him; he had saved her in the forest and had come to help her here. Nami closed her eyes as she repeated the statement over in her head. She breathed out an angry sigh. "I didn't _do _anything!"

"Gates don't just close by themselves."

Nami slapped the ground. "This one did!"

Zoro glanced at the gate again, hand rising automatically to rub the back of his head. The swordsman's eyes squinted as he winced at the contact. Nami saw the motion and her anger faded as quickly as it had arose.

"How is your head?"

Zoro shrugged. "Fine." His eyes flicked down at her. She felt his gaze rake over her body. His eyes focused on her shoulder and then her ankle. "You?"

Nami looked down at the ankle in question. The area surrounding the joint was swollen and the skin above and below her ankle had undertaken a slight purple hue. "It might be sprained. Chopper would know for sure."

"Where is he?" Zoro tilted his head. "Actually, where is everyone?"

Nami sighed, tucking her hair behind her ear. "You, Luffy, Franky, Brook, and Chopper all wandered away while under the effects of the pollen. Robin, Sanji, Usopp and I figured out a way to use the island's pink flowers to nullify the pollens effects." She gestured to the pink smear that was still on his lips. "And then we went out to find you guys. Usopp went after Luffy. That was when I was attacked. I don't know if Sanji and Robin were able to find anyone."

Zoro nodded and turned back to the gate. He pulled a katana smoothly from its sheath. "Let's go find the others then. When we find Chopper, he can take a look at that ankle."

Nami leaned back. Zoro's sword flashed in the dim light as he approached the thick gate.

* * *

I don't know if it was noticeable, but I wrote Kikori and his "dog" as allusions to the tale of Little Red Riding Hood. I was looking to make him a dark perversion of the classic woodsman character that appears in some versions of the tale. I made the comparison most obvious in this chapter. I've noticed that One Piece tends to make allusions to classic stories or tales, so I've been trying to add a few allusions of my own :)

Anyway, thanks for reading! Hopefully the words will flow freely as I work on the next update.


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: One Piece does not belong to me, it belongs to Oda.

The words definitely flowed a bit easier this time :) Thank you again for the reviews. I really do appreciate them. I hope the next section is an enjoyable read!

Chapter 22:

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The hilt of the katana rested firmly in his calloused grasp. Zoro eyed the gate's thick pillars as he lifted his other hand to the dark hilt. A single slice should do it. Zoro hefted the katana back, intending to slice straight across the pillars. As the thin blade struck the bars, a piercing shriek erupted. Sparks flashed between the steel and stone. Zoro's eyebrows drew together as he finished the heavy stroke. The gate was perfectly intact. He leaned forward, staring closely at the pillars of stone. Impossible - there wasn't a scratch upon them.

Zoro stepped back, swinging the katana up in a well-practiced motion. He narrowed his eyes at the gate before swinging the sword at it once more. The sparks and metallic shrieking resumed in earnest as he furiously attacked the ancient gate. Zoro was panting by the time he finished his barrage of assaults against the stubborn stone. He rubbed the back of his hand over his damp forehead as he peered again at the pillars. They remained unblemished.

"Huh." The swordsman frowned in confusion. The gate was only made of stone; it should have broken easily beneath his blade.

"What's wrong?" The cave's walls captured Nami's nervous voice, echoing and amplifying it in the confined space.

He tapped the blade against the pillar. "The gate – my katana isn't cutting it."

There was a poignant pause as the blade's tapping reverberated in the small cave.

"That's impossible."

Zoro's frown deepened. "I know."

There was a rustle as the navigator stood. A few limping steps later, she stood at his side. Her fingers pressed against the side of a pillar. "It's just stone?"

Zoro placed his tanned hand beside hers. The pillar's cool, uneven surface was hard beneath his palm. It certainly felt like stone. But then why couldn't he cut it? "It doesn't make sense."

Nami's eyes flicked to the sheaths dangling at his side. "Maybe try another katana?"

Zoro glanced down at the white hilt that rested closest to his hip. Wado Ichimonji. If that blade couldn't cut it, nothing could. With a nod, Zoro slid his current katana into its sheath, and drew the white blade. "Step back a few feet."

Nami had shuffled backwards before he even finished the statement. Zoro held the katana steady before him as he tilted his head forward, glaring at the gate with narrowed eyes. He was determined to make it break. With that final thought, he twisted the katana back and arced the shining blade down upon the stone gate. His heavy strokes screamed once more against the stone. Zoro's precise swings rained down upon the gate until his shoulders began to ache. It wasn't budging. Zoro nonetheless stubbornly continued the attack; up until he felt a soft touch at his back.

He halted the katana mid swing, immediately conscious of the danger the rapidly swinging blade could pose the woman standing so close behind him. He hadn't heard her approach. He had been so focused on the gate, he hadn't even been aware of her presence at his back until she touched him. Zoro swallowed as he slowly lowered the blade. Did she realize the danger she had been in? Zoro twisted to face her; his voice was low, angry. "Baka! Don't sneak up on me! Not when I'm using my katana."

Nami stilled, pulling her hand back sharply. "I didn't realize I was sneaking." She frowned as her eyes trailed from his face, to his tensed shoulders, and finally down to his tightly clenched hands. "You always hear me coming."

Zoro let out a heavy breath. "I was focused on the damn gate."

Nami's eyes returned to his face. She stared at him, as if trying to solve a puzzle – or decipher a poorly drawn map. Her frown deepened. "I scared you?" She paused as her gaze shifted to the blade he held pointed at the ground. Her lips parted in realization as her eyes met his. "You thought you could have accidentally hurt me."

Zoro firmly sheathed the katana and looked away from her inquisitive eyes. He had been afraid. The thought that he might have accidentally harmed her with his own blade struck more fear in him than he thought possible. Zoro frowned down at the cave's uneven floor. He was finding an alarming number of his fears were in some way connected to the navigator that stood before him. Zoro glanced at her before looking quickly away. He didn't want to think about what those fears might mean.

He looked back at her in time to see Nami shake her head; as if clearing an errant thought. When she spoke, her tone was light and casual. "I'll try not to surprise you next time you are furiously hacking away at inanimate objects."

Zoro felt his shoulders loosen as the side of his lips quirked up. It wasn't quite a smile – but almost. The residual fear from her surprise approach was still fading.

Nami looked over his shoulder at the gate. "We'll find another way to get out."

Zoro nodded firmly. If they couldn't break through the gate, maybe they could try tunneling underneath. Zoro was debating the best way to go about tunneling through the stone below them when he heard the telltale scraping of boots against stone.

Zoro turned to the gate. Two figures slid to a stop halfway up the embankment. Zoro's eyes narrowed as he took in their appearance. The boy's blue hair stood out sharply against the rocky terrain. The man beside him was bent forward, his dark hat askew. Zoro scowled. Kikori and the blue-haired kid. He watched as the bounty hunter winced, grabbing his side. Zoro's eyes slid to the woman beside him. "Did you do that?"

Nami's smile didn't reach her eyes. "He deserved it."

Zoro frowned. "I'm sure he did."

The blue haired kid was squinting towards the gate. When his gaze came to rest upon them, his eyes widened and he stilled, face already beginning to pale. The distance muted his voice, but they could still hear his quiet curse. "Shit. They're in the labyrinth."

Zoro's eyebrows rose. The labyrinth. What the hell was that?

The young man quickly pivoted and began marching back up the hill. "We have to find the other entrance."

Kikori sputtered. "But Miko – they said we weren't supposed to go in there!"

Zoro frowned, leaning forward to better hear the argument.

Miko glared over his shoulder. "Yeah, and they weren't supposed to go in either! And there they are. Boss said something like this could screw up the plan. We have to get in there."

Kikori ducked his head, following the stomping boy up the hill.

Nami peered around a pillar and watched as the figures disappeared over the top of the hill. Her eyebrows scrunched together as she turned to face him. "He seems pretty upset that we're in here." Nami glanced nervously towards the tunnel behind them. "Is that good or bad for us?"

"I don't know." Zoro automatically rested his hand on the hilts of his katana as he followed her gaze back into the cave. The hallway was decorated with carvings and its stone walls stretched into the darkness that lay beyond. How far back did it go? And where was the other entrance that kid was talking about?

Nami leaned against the thick pillar; the sigh that escaped her lips was barely audible. Still standing, she rested her head against the cool stone, angling her face so that the last traces of afternoon sunlight bathed her nose and cheeks. Her brown eyes stared up at the blue sky beyond the cavern. When she spoke, her voice was muted, her tone weary. "I am so tired of today."

Zoro leaned beside her, his arm brushing against her shoulder. She surprised him by heaving another sigh and leaning her weight against him. Zoro went still when she tilted the side of her head against his arm. In this position, her entire face was bathed in the warm light. In the sun, her hair was revealed to be a myriad of colors; strands ranging from light orange to deep red. She closed her eyes. "You're more comfortable that the stone." Her voice trailed off as she leaned more of her weight against him. "Hope you don't mind."

Zoro wasn't sure how to reply, and settled with a grunt. She smiled.

In truth, he didn't know what to reply because he wasn't completely sure how he felt about the navigator using him as a pillow. It would be impossible to deny that a part of him didn't enjoy the gentle pressure of her head against his arm. He looked down at her. The crease between her eyebrows had disappeared, and her expression had turned serene.

The swordsman looked to the sky, releasing a sigh of his own. First the fears, and now this. He shook his head. He couldn't afford these - feelings? He frowned. Whatever they were, they were a distraction. In order to become the greatest swordsman and to protect their crew – his eyes flicked down to her – he needed to be focused. Zoro's gaze traveled once more over her face; moving from the light lashes that brushed her cheeks, past her sharp nose – a smudge of dirt was smeared upon it - , and down to her parted lips. The swordsman looked away. What he was feeling certainly wasn't focus.

The navigator shifted, promptly wincing at the movement. Zoro straightened. Her ankle. She shouldn't be standing at all. He shrugged his shoulder, gently nudging her head. "Hey – go sit down. I'll work on getting us out of here."

Nami cracked an eye open. "The sun feels good."

When Zoro wrapped his arm around her, she promptly stiffened. Zoro didn't hesitate to swing his other arm behind her legs, picking up the smaller woman. Both eyes were now wide open. "Zoro! Put me down!"

Zoro didn't reply; and instead, walked easily to the side of the cave. He deposited her in the corner where the gate and the wall met. The stone floor was immersed in sunlight. Her shoulders relaxed as she was set softly against the wall. In the afternoon's warm glare, her cheeks appeared red. She looked away, tenderly touching her ankle. "Thanks."

He shrugged. It wasn't a big deal. Though as he turned around, his mind played over how she had felt in his arms. Zoro shook his head. He had more important things to think about: like how they were going to get out.

Zoro rested his hands on his hips as he turned to survey the cave. The gate was not an option. He sent another glare at the troublesome stone. That he hadn't been able to cut it irked him immensely. It was just stone! The swordsman ground his teeth as he turned resolutely away from the gate. The gate was out, what else was there?

Zoro looked down. Before Miko and Kikori had arrived, he had been toying with the idea of digging out. But he didn't like the idea of using his katana as though they were pickaxes. He glanced down at the precious blades before turning back to the cave. What were their other options? There was the tunnel…Zoro looked over his shoulder at the dark pathway. The blue-haired kid had talked about there being another entrance. Maybe they could reach it by following the path. Zoro grimaced. Nami would _not _like the idea of walking further into the dark cave – or what had the kid called it? A labyrinth? Zoro's musings were interrupted by an errant shout.

"Naaaaammiiiii!"

Zoro twisted and Nami's eyes widened. In a second she had pulled herself to her feet and crossed to the center of the wide gate. She eagerly pressed her face against the thin space between the pillars. "Luffy!" Her voice was high pitched, and he knew she was grinning. "Usopp!"

Zoro joined her at the gate. He tilted his head as he peered through the thin gap beside hers. Luffy and Usopp were sliding down the slick stone that led down to the cave. Usopp was sporting a ridiculously drawn spiral moustache and Luffy's entire face was covered in the pink goo. Zoro began to shake his head at their ridiculous appearance, only to cringe when he remembered that he had a smear of pink above his own lip.

Usopp's face broke into a grin when he saw their faces between the columns. "Nami! You found Zoro!"

Nami gasped. "How many times did you shoot him in the face?"

Usopp skidded to a stop in front of the gate, shrugging sheepishly. "He didn't stop right away."

Luffy's pink face broke out in a wide grin. "Good thing Usopp stopped me!" His eyes grew comically large. "I was so confused! And I couldn't stop swinging around the forest!" He laughed. "It was crazy!"

Nami sighed. Zoro shared the sentiment.

Luffy paused. His eyes grew even larger as he seemed to notice the huge gate that loomed between them for the first time. "WOAH! How did you guys get stuck in there?"

Beside him, Nami began to pound her forehead against a stone pillar. Zoro tapped his foot against the stone in front of him. "It closed on us."

Luffy's eyes lit up. "I'll get you out!"

Zoro's eyes widened. "Wait-" But Luffy was already in motion. The young captain yanked his arms back, extending them rapidly behind him. With a snap, his long arms shot towards them. Zoro tensed – at once realizing their danger. If Luffy did manage to break through, he and Nami were right in his line of fire.

With a grunt, Zoro pushed off the gate, grabbing Nami around the waist and propelling them both towards the side of the cave. He pushed Nami against the wall, raising his arms on either side of her to shield against the coming shards of stone.

There was a gigantic crash and Zoro tensed, but his back was not assaulted with sharp stone like he had expected. Nami's wide eyes held his for a moment before she twisted to peer beneath his arm. She drew in a sharp breath. "Luffy!" Zoro twisted around as she ducked under his arm.

Their captain lie crumpled on the ground. His hands had been flattened against the pillars. Nami fell to her knees beside the gate. She leaned a shoulder against a stone pillar as she reached a hand out to their captain. Zoro cursed as he hurried to the gate beside her. "Oi! Luffy!"

"Ehhhhh." Luffy looked dazed; his round eyes stared blankly upwards.

Kneeling by his side, Usopp shook his shoulder. Luffy's head lolled to the side.

Zoro watched as Nami leaned into the gate, stretching her arm towards their fallen captain. Her fingers gently prodded his extended arm. His rubbery limbs sagged down from where his hands were plastered against the stone. He followed Nami's gaze as she looked up at Luffy's hands. Twisting her head to get a better look, her cheek brushed against the stone pillar. She froze.

Zoro stiffened. "What?"

Nami quickly turned towards the stone, leaning forward to peer at it closely. The tip of her nose grazed the rough rock. Before Zoro had the chance to ask her again, she jumped to her feet. Face pale, she stood on her toes, frantically reaching for Luffy's hands.

"Zoro! We have to get them off the stone!"

"Huh?" Despite his confusion, he was already stepping up beside her.

"Particles of Kairoseki-" Nami jumped, attempting to separate Luffy's flattened digits from the pillar. "- infused in the stone."

Zoro grimaced. No wonder Luffy was out of it. The swordsman leaned over Nami, working to pry Luffy's other hand from the stone. Zoro swore. Luffy must have hit the gate incredibly hard for his hands to be so thoroughly stuck to it. After several minutes of work, both of his hands finally dropped to the ground. Usopp leapt over Luffy's prone form. He grabbed Luffy's wrists, quickly pulling his hands far from the gate.

Luffy groaned again. Usopp kneeled beside him, patting a hand against the captain's pink cheek. "Luffy?"

Luffy rolled onto his side. "Ehhh. Can't break it."

Nami sighed. "It's okay. Zoro can't either."

Usopp's head jerked up. "What? There's no reason why Zoro wouldn't be able to cut regular stone - even if it is infused with Kairoseki."

"I know." Zoro ground his fist against the rough stone. "But I can't."

Usopp frowned, stepping closer to inspect the stone. He squinted an eye as he looked closely at a pillar. He leaned back and knocked once against the gray rock. He turned to them, shrugging. "It looks like normal stone to me. Are you sure you're not having an off day?"

Zoro's voice caught in his throat. He was vaguely aware of a vein pulsating in his forehead. He didn't have _off days_. He was about to tell Usopp just that, when Nami spoke.

"His attack was as strong as always. But the pillars wouldn't cut."

Behind Usopp, Luffy pushed himself to his feet. He tilted his head as he observed his trapped crewmates. "What about digging underneath?"

Zoro crossed his arms, still miffed about Usopp's comment. "I considered it."

Luffy grinned. "Shishishi. I can do that!"

Zoro and Nami took simultaneous steps backwards as Luffy jumped into the air. "Gomu Gomu no Gatling!"

Luffy's fists pounded the ground in a rough and rapid assault. As his barrage of flying fists continued, a cloud of dust and debris rose around him. Without warning, the pounding ceased. Zoro stepped forward to look through the gate. Dust and dirt obscured the air. The lack of visibility only served to exacerbate the sudden silence.

"Ehhhhh."

He felt Nami at his shoulder. "Luffy?"

A shape shuffled through the dust. "Captain Usopp will-" The sniper's voice was overtaken by a hacking cough. The coughing continued as Zoro and Nami watched Usopp frantically wave his hand to clear the air. "Captain- _khaa_! Captain Usopp will – _khaaaa_!" Usopp's voice devolved into another round of coughing. By the end of the fit, he spoke in a dry wheeze. "Captain… Usopp… will get him."

The sniper dropped into the hole Luffy had created with a thud. "Hey, Luffy!"

"Ehhhhh."

"Uh guys? There's more Kairoseki down here." Panting and scraping were heard as Usopp tugged Luffy's limp form out of the ditch. By the time Usopp dragged their captain out of the hole, the dust in the air had at last begun to clear. Usopp leaned forward to take another look in the hole as Luffy slowly sat up.

Luffy rubbed his head as his lips tugged down in a dejected frown. "I don't like this cave."

Meanwhile, Usopp leaned back from the hole. "Nami, Zoro. You won't believe it. There is a wall of stone down there. It looks like the same stuff the pillars are made of." He swallowed. "I think it might surround the cave."

Zoro's eyes narrowed as he viewed the cave and gate with a new appreciation. What kind of a trap had he and Nami walked into? He felt movement at his side. Beside him, Nami's shoulders had begun to quiver. He shifted, but paused when he realized Nami wasn't shaking from fear. Her head slowly raised, and as her hair shifted from her face, he saw that her eyes were narrowed and her lips pressed together in a thin, angry line. Suddenly she moved, emitting a noise that was an odd combination of a shriek and growl. Before he could stop her, she had raised her fists and was pounding furiously against the pillars that separated them from the outside world.

Every strike was accompanied by an enraged shout. "I am! so tired! Of this! Stupid! Island! I just! Want! To Go! Back!"

She sucked in a deep breath, likely preparing for her next barrage against the stone. But before she could move to hit it again, Zoro stepped between her and the pillar. When she raised her hand, Zoro captured it in his own. As his fingers wrapped around her fist, he watched Nami visibly deflate. Her shoulders fell and her head dipped forward.

When she spoke, her voice was unusually quiet. "It's been a really, really long day."

When Zoro released her hand, it dropped limply to her side. He glanced down at her knuckles. They were scuffed, but didn't appear to be cut. Zoro crossed his arms. "And you thought trying to beat up a stone pillar would make it better?"

Nami scowled; but as he watched, her lip twitched. Soon a tired smile was spreading across her face. "You seemed pretty angry when you were going at the pillars with your katana. I thought I'd give it a shot." She shrugged, "It did help a little."

Zoro tried not to smile. "And you call me the baka."

"Only because you are."

Usopp cleared his throat loudly behind them.

Zoro twisted around. Usopp and Luffy stood on the other side of the gate; Luffy stood with his head tilted and Usopp's eyebrows were drawn together, a curious expression on his face.

"What?"

Usopp shook his head as if clearing a thought. He stepped up to the gate, and the snipers eyes widened as he saw them clearly for the first time. "What happened to you two?"

Zoro looked down at himself. His pants were smeared with dirt, and his shirt torn where Venor's claws had raked against him. Beside him, Nami's face and clothes were smudged with dirt and her ankle was swollen and nearly completely purple.

Nami smacked her forehead. "Right! We didn't tell you. There's bounty hunters on the island."

There was a beat in which everyone was completely still. The moment was broken by Luffy and Usopp's simultaneous movement.

"Where?!" Usopp quivered, twisting his head as he turned in quick, nervous circles.

"Here!? I'll kick their asses!" Luffy lifted his arm as he began looking eagerly around them. "Where are they?"

Nami pressed her face through the pillars. "They work directly for the person who sent the last bounty hunters."

Luffy paused, frowning. "The guy with the mystery motive?"

Nami nodded.

Their captain took a deep breath and lifted his arm higher. "Then I will kick their asses!" Luffy began to climb the hill with short, angry steps.

"Luffy – wait!"

Luffy stopped, glancing over his shoulder.

Nami leaned forward. "There might be only two left." She paused. "And there is a chance they are on their way in here."

Zoro frowned. That was right. Miko and Kikori were going to try to get in too. Zoro glared into the darkness behind them. If they did manage to find that other entrance, he would deal with them when the time came.

Usopp rested a hand on his hip. "Why are they trying to get into the cave?"

Beside him, Nami shook her head. "I don't know. But there is something really strange about this cave." Nami glanced nervously behind them. "Before Zoro got here, there was this weird breeze and then the symbols on the wall started to glow."

Zoro raised an eyebrow. Glowing walls? This was the first he had heard of that. He looked inquisitively down at Nami.

In response to his look, the navigator shrugged. "I thought we would be able to leave after the two seconds it took you to cut through the gate." Her eyes flicked back towards the darkness. "I didn't realize we were going to be stuck in here with the creepy glowing stone."

Four sets of eyes were peering into the dark passageway when a deep moan sounded in the dim cave. Nami yelped as Zoro quickly gripped the hilt of a katana. Behind them, Usopp shuffled backwards, while Luffy jumped forward to peer eagerly through the gate, careful not to actually touch it.

Usopp shouted down to them from halfway up the slope. "M-m-monster?"

Zoro carefully scanned the dimly lit cave. There – a twitch of movement in the far corner. The swordsman narrowed his eyes at the large, dark shape. The giant bounty hunter had begun to wake. Zoro drew one sword, and then another. They were in a strange cave, on an even stranger island, being chased by bounty hunters who were following the mysterious orders of an unknown individual. Zoro tightened his hands around the hilts of the blades. There were too many questions, and not nearly enough answers. He turned his steely gaze to the bounty hunter's shifting form. Maybe the giant bounty hunter could finally give them a few answers.

"I'm going to see if I can learn a bit about that boss they keep talking about." Zoro lifted his katana.

Nami opened her mouth, but paused, and then closed it. She nodded once. "Be careful."

Behind her, Luffy gave him a firm nod. As Zoro turned, he saw Luffy carefully slip his hand between the bars to rest it on Nami's shoulder.

As Zoro moved silently across the cave, the bounty hunter's large form slowly began to rise. Shaking arms were gradually righting the hunter's large body. When Zoro was a few yards away, the large man rested in a crouch with one arm balancing against the ground. That was when the swordsman struck. His sudden sprint made no more noise than his previous walk. In fact, the bounty hunter was unaware of Zoro's presence up until a second before he struck. By the time the bounty hunter's bearded face twisted up, Zoro's knee was already jerking up at his bulbous nose. He felt a brittle crunch beneath his knee; it was followed instantly by the hunter's pained bellow.

The initial bellow echoed between the stone walls as Zoro threw his shoulder into the giant's broad chest. With a thick hand covering his nose, the bounty hunter stumbled backwards, falling hard against the stone wall. Zoro was on him in an instant. A black boot pressed down upon his chest while two gleaming katana crossed over his neck.

The bounty hunter's movement immediately ceased when Zoro pressed the cool metal against his skin. The bounty hunter's lips pulled back in a grimace. Streams of blood flowed from his bent nose, staining his thick beard red.

"You're pretty strong. But I bet not even you could survive a direct wound to the neck."

The hunter didn't respond.

"I'll take that as a yes."

As Zoro leaned forward, the image of large hands wrapping around Nami's neck and fat arms lifting her from the ground flashed in Zoro's memory. He growled and pressed his boot down against the bounty hunter's chest.

"I think it's time you told us about your boss."

* * *

Thanks for reading! In the next chapter, the Straw Hat Pirates may learn a bit about the mysterious individual who is giving all these orders - and maybe even about the labyrinth Zoro and Nami have managed to stumble into ;)

As always, reviews and critiques are incredibly helpful. In particular, how is the story in terms of continuity? Do the chapters flow together well? This is one of the longest pieces that I've written, and I just want to make sure that so far, everything is melding together well. I've read through the existing chapters several times, but it's hard for me to look at it objectively since I already have the entire story in mind. Any feedback in regard to this would be very, very helpful. Thanks!


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: One Piece does not belong to me, it belongs to Oda.

Ah! The next section is done! I hope everyone is ready to learn a bit about the mysterious boss ;)

Chapter 23:

* * *

The sole of Zoro's boot dug into the hunter's chest. His katana were crossed, the hunter's thick neck trapped at the junction between the shining blades.

"Your boss. Who is it?"

The hunter's eyes narrowed as his eyebrows drew together in two angry slants. He bared his teeth – blood from his nose had seeped between them. When he spoke, red spittle flecked his lips. "Think I'd tell you that?" His baritone rasp filled the small room. "He'd kill me."

In the silence that followed, his large eyes roamed the dark space. Landing on her, they stilled. Nami resisted the urge to step back; and instead, tucked her chin and met his gaze. The hand on her shoulder squeezed.

Zoro shifted. The katana in his grasp moved ever so slightly. Where the blades met the hunter's neck, a thin line of blood welled upon the shining metal. Zoro's voice was low, even. "And _I_ can kill you now."

The giant swallowed. The movement caused a fresh wave of blood to seep from the shallow wound. Red rivulets slid over the smooth metal.

"Tell me."

The giant's eyes were wide when they traveled over Zoro's face. At the same time, Nami's own gaze was sweeping the swordsman. One of Zoro's dark boots sat atop the bounty hunter. The other was pressed firmly against the rocky ground, allowing the swordsman to leverage all of his weight over his opponent. Leaning forward at the waist, he was eye level with the bounty hunter. Zoro's arms extended before him. The muscles in his forearms and biceps remained taught as he held the katana perfectly steady. The calloused fingers that gripped their hilts were still. Zoro's face was as motionless as his body. His lips were pulled back in a thin line as he breathed steadily through his nose. His unblinking eyes were hard and cold.

Nami leaned back against the pillar. This version of Zoro was a terrifying sight to behold. The giant bounty hunter must have thought so too, because he soon groaned. With ever widening eyes, he beseeched the swordsman. "I can't."

Zoro leaned forward, eyes narrowing. "You can, and will."

The hunter's giant form began to shudder. And when he spoke, his deep voice was small. "Ronan." He swallowed again. "His name is Ronan."

Nami stepped forward. The hand on her shoulder tightened, but she gently shrugged it off. She looked back. Luffy's expression was drawn; his lips tugged down in concern. Before stepping forward, she gave him a single, apologetic wave. As she crossed the cave, the bounty hunter's hulking form filled her vision. _Ronan_. He was the man pulling the strings. She stopped several feet away. Zoro's eyes flicked in her direction. She gave him a nod; they had to know more.

"Why is he after Nami?"

The big man's adams apple bobbled above the blades. "The boss's after all of you."

Nami stilled. Robin had been right – it was about more than just her. But why were they going after her first?

Zoro leaned closer. "Why?"

The giant's eyes slid between Zoro and Nami. "His job, I suppose."

"Go on."

"From what I know – he leads this specialized group. A part o' the government." He swallowed again. "But, see, this group doesn't exist."

Zoro frowned.

The big man began to stutter. "I – I mean it's real and everything, but only a'few know 'bout it. This organization – they have a small group of bounty hunters they contract out. I'm one of them. They use us so that they don't get seen all the time. Then everybody else would know about them."

Nami frowned, mulling over the man's confusing statement. "It's a government organization that works off the books?"

He nodded, wincing as he rubbed against the blades. "S'what it seems like to me."

Nami watched him closely. "And what exactly do they do?"

"Elimination." His eyes flicked between them again. "They always go after up'an coming pirate crews. I think the government must pay attention to which crews're becoming a threat, then they sic Ronan and his group on them. And then Ronan sics _us_ on them – well first anyway. Ronan an' his special group always finishes it."

As she listened, Nami's stomach churned. She placed a shaking hand on the wall beside her. _Elimination_. The government had deemed the Straw Hats a threat. And now there was an organization intent on destroying them. Nami's arm gave way and her shoulder bumped up against the wall. She stared blankly ahead as the events from the last few weeks flashed in her memory.

Looking down at the bounty poster that had her own face drawn upon it. The crisp paper wrinkling in her shaking grasp. Kikori, the first hunter to come after her and the sharp point of his spinning axe. The bead of sweat that slid down the center of her back when she trained with Zoro. The firm hands that had caught her when she fell.

The images flashed faster. Sobra Jett and his associates facing her on the rocky slope. Sipping Sanji's colorful drink and feeling Zoro's gaze upon her. The dark waves and the roar of the sudden storm – and then the silence of the ocean. The island's shadow that rose above them. The forest path, crowded with foliage and empty of crewmates. Miko's blue stare and the six bounty hunters that rose behind him.

Nami blinked. This whole time – she had been scared for her own safety. Her only fear for her nakama was that they would be hurt trying to protect her. But this - Nami gripped the wall - this meant they were all in terrible danger.

Nami frowned as her eyes flicked over the dark floor. But it didn't make sense. If this organization was intent on destroying everyone, why were they focusing on her? Zoro must have had a similar thought, because he narrowed his eyes at the man below him.

"Why the bounty on Nami? Why focus on her?"

Nami nodded. "For that matter, why aren't they trying to kill us now? Only hours ago, we were spread out, lost, and confused."

The giant grimaced. He opened his mouth, closed it, and then opened it again. "I – I don't understand all o'it myself. But the boss – Ronan – he knows what's gonna happen."

Zoro's eyebrows drew together. Nami spoke. "What do you mean?"

The hunter's tongue flicked over his dry and cracking lips. "I never seen it myself – but he shuts himself away, an' when he comes out, he knows all of these different futures."

Nami peered at him. "Different futures?"

The hunter squinted in a frustrated manner as he attempted to explain. "It's like he knows how different choices will affect the future. An' he _picks_ the actions that he sees bringing him the best results."

Zoro's eyebrows scrunched even closer together."Oi Nami. Is this making any sense to you?"

She tilted her head, going over the hunter's words again. "Maybe."

Luffy's high pitch voice called from the other side of the gate. "Eh? Makes no sense to me. Is this Ossan crazy?"

The bounty hunter stuttered. "M'not crazy! It's true! He talks about there being different futures! He _picks_ which one he wants." He looked at Nami. "An' he's probably going after the girl first because he _saw _it leading to the future he wanted – likely the one in which you all are dead, and he loses the least assets."

Nami rubbed at her forehead, mentally going over his confusing explanation. She pinched the bridge of her nose. So this Ronan, somehow, had the ability to see the future. But it wasn't one future – it was multiple possible futures. She frowned as she tried to work over that idea alone. In theory, it made sense. If you accepted that the future wasn't set in stone, then you would also have to accept that with different actions, you had the potential to create various futures.

Nami tapped her finger against the wall. "So the government gives Ronan a mission: to destroy a given pirate crew."

"Us?" Luffy's pitchy voiced chimed in.

Nami nodded absentmindedly. "Yes, us. And he then somehow sees possible futures-" Nami paused, twisting to look at the bounty hunter. "About how different attempts to destroy us would pan out?"

With a grunt, the hunter gave a careful nod.

Nami began a limping pace. "From the beginning, he's already _seen_ how various attempts of attacking us would play out." Her walking speed increased. "So going into all of this, he already_ knew_ – he knew exactly what actions would lead to our defeat. And that's why he put a bounty on me – was so bent on having me captured? He saw that it would be the first step in a chain of events that would lead to our defeat?" Her legs shook as she came to a shuddering stop. "We could be playing into that future even now." Nami's breaths came in short pants. Try as she might, she could not slow down her panicked breaths. "If what you say is true, how could we ever hope to defeat him? He'll be one step ahead of us the entire time."

"Nami." Zoro's gaze was upon her. "It'll be okay. I won't let this guy, Ronan, hurt anyone."

Nami's chest continued to rise and fall as her eyes found Zoro's. "You don't understand. We can't hope to defeat a man who knows so much. Nothing we do will surprise him! He'll be prepared for any attack!"

Zoro's hands tightened around his katana. The man beneath him shuddered as he eyed the blades. Zoro's voice was quiet, but firm. "We'll find a way. He won't destroy us."

Nami's shoulders sagged. Luffy called to them from behind the gate. "Yosh! We won't let him win!"

Usopp must have joined Luffy at the gate, for his voice sounded nearby. "But – but - this is really bad." Nami nodded at Usopp's worried tone. At least one other person understood the gravity of the situation. Usopp's voice began to shake. "Do you think he planned for you to get trapped in there?"

Nami froze, Miko and Kikori's conversation playing over in her mind. A tendril of hope began to grow within her. "No – I don't think he planned on this." Nami turned to Zoro with wide eyes. "Maybe by entering the labyrinth, we've switched to a different future from the one Ronan was aiming for." She let out a slow breath. "We might have a chance after all."

Before Zoro could respond, the bounty hunter beneath him began sucking in sharp gasps. His face had undergone a terrible pallor.

Zoro shifted his weight. "What?"

The bounty hunter opened his mouth, but at first, no sound emerged. When he finally spoke, his voice was nothing more than a whispering rasp. "The labyrinth. We're in the labyrinth?" His eyes shifted rapidly, as if taking in the cave's entirety for the first time.

Nami frowned down at him, trying to understand his sudden reaction. "Yes. We're stuck here for now. The gate closed on us."

With a roar, the bounty hunter shoved Zoro away. Surprised, Zoro stumbled back towards her. In a second, Zoro had regained his balance. He raised his katana, their steel glinting in the dark cave. But the giant bounty hunter was backing away. His lips quivered as gaze twitched rapidly around him. With slow, shaking steps, he backed further down the tunnel.

"Hey!" Luffy's loud voice echoed between the walls. "Where is he going?"

The bounty hunter's eyes flicked between her and Zoro. "We're dead. Us three. No one come's outta this place alive." Nami felt a wave of cold wash over her.

In front of her, Zoro stilled. "What do you mean?"

The bounty hunter backed further into the tunnel. "There's _things _in here." His voice trembled. "If someone displeases Ronan, sometimes he sends them in here." He swallowed. "They never come back out."

Nami leaned around Zoro. "What kind of things?"

The bounty hunter merely shook his head, wearily turning his large form towards the darkness that lay ahead.

"But wait!" Her voice was shrill in the sudden quiet. "If it's so dangerous, why would your teammates come in?"

The giant man halted. "Miko. Miko's coming in here?" His large head bent suddenly forward. "The other entrance." His voice lowered. "He doesn't understand the danger."

Before Nami could say anything else, the large man took off in a lumbering run down the passageway. Within moments, his hulking figure had faded into the darkness. The heavy thuds of his footfalls sounded for several more seconds before they too faded away.

Zoro turned slowly. "Huh."

Nami pulled her gaze from the dark tunnel. Zoro had sheathed his blades, and stood in front of her with crossed arms.

Behind them, Usopp sobbed. He spoke in a slow, somber tone. "Zoro and Nami were too young to die. They were loved by many – hated by even more. But by their nakama, they will be dearly missed-"

Zoro scowled and Nami whirled to face the crewmate giving their premature eulogy. "Usopp! Shut up!" Nami narrowed her eyes at the sniper. His eyes were downcast, but he didn't look frightened by either her or Zoro's anger. Probably because there was an impenetrable gate between them. Nami stomped in his direction, intent on strangling him _through_ the gate – her arms would fit. But when her injured ankle slammed down, she cried out loud from the pain. Nami cringed as pain pulsated through her foot anew. _Stupid_.

"Nami!" Luffy's worried shout was accompanied by Usopp's concerned cry. Her eyes were squinted closed in pain when she felt an arm wrap around her waist. With a relieved sigh, Nami leaned against him, letting the weight off her left foot. When had she become so comfortable with Zoro holding her? He tightened his grip, and they walked slowly to the gate together. She was relieved he hadn't picked her up like before – for reasons she couldn't quite explain, the thought of Zoro picking her up like that in front of the others struck her as incredibly embarrassing. As he helped her along, Zoro stared steadily forward. His hand was warm against her side.

Nami's hand rested against his back. The material of his shirt was surprisingly soft against her palm. Beneath the fabric, she could feel the hardened sinews of his back. The tips of her fingers pressed against him as she tightened her hand around his shirt, gathering the material in a tight fist. "What are we going to do?"

The arm that he had extended around her twitched, and the fingers wrapping around her waist noticeably tightened. Zoro raised an eyebrow as he tucked his chin to look down at her. "About being stuck in a labyrinth? Or this Ronan guy?"

Nami breathed out a heavy sigh. "Both."

When they reached the gate, the pressure at her waist vanished as Zoro pulled his hand away. Nami gripped a pillar as she dropped herself carefully to the ground. Zoro re-crossed his arms as he stood, leaning against a pillar beside her. When he spoke, his eyes carefully scanned the darkness behind them. "We'll figure something out."

Across the gate, Usopp kneeled close to where she sat. As he leaned forward, his long nose poked through the thin gap between the pillars. "Do you think it's true? Their boss, can he really see the future?"

Nami rested her elbow on her knee, propping her chin on her knuckles. "Would the bounty hunter lie about his boss's abilities?"

Zoro shook his head. "He wasn't lying."

Usopp frowned. "But he was also just a bounty hunter that Ronan and his group hired out. How much does he actually know? And is it even accurate?"

Nami studied the ground. That _was _the problem. There was simply too much they didn't know. Zoro's deep voice interrupted her thoughts. "Seeing the future. How would someone get an ability like that?"

Usopp shrugged. "Devil fruit?"

Nami tapped a finger against her chin. "I've never heard of a fruit that gives that power, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. We hadn't heard of Sobra Jett's devil fruit either."

Nami paused. The conversation was strangely void of Luffy's loud voice – their captain was being unusually quiet. She lifted her head from her hand and craned her neck to see him through the gate. Luffy sat cross-legged on the dirt. Head bent forward, his long fingers had wound themselves through his dark mop of hair.

"Luffy?"

At the sound of his name, Luffy's head twitched up. His lips were spread in a thin line and his eyes had narrowed into slits. Their captain released a pitchy groan that stretched out, eventually transforming into whining words. "Ehhhhhh…I'm so confused."

Nami shook her head, giving him a small smile.

Beside her, Zoro snorted. "You and everyone else here."

"Maybe for now, we should focus on the problem at hand." Nami looked pointedly at the gate that was separating them from the outside world. As terrifying as Ronan and his supposed abilities were, the labyrinth they were currently trapped in was equally worrisome – and much more of an immediate problem. Nami glanced behind them. The giant hunter had talked about _things_ being in there with them. Still eyeing the darkness, she scooted closer to the gate. What these 'things' were, she had no idea. But for all his size, the huge bounty hunter had looked terrified. She wondered what manner of monster had stricken such fear in the hunter. How scared of the labyrinth should she be?

"NAMI-SWAAAAANNNNN!"

Nami jumped at the sudden shout; but as soon as she registered the voice, her face broke out in a wide grin. If Sanji was here, that meant Robin was coming too. The archaeologist might actually be able to help them with their current labyrinth problem.

All four pirates turned at the shout. Soon they were able to see two figures sliding down the steep slope. Nami's grin widened, and couldn't help her excited call. "Sanji! Robin!"

Upon hearing her shout, the cook leapt forward, pumping his arms as he sped down the slope. As Nami watched their approach, she noticed a third, smaller figure following them down the slope. "Chopper!"

Even from a distance, she could see the small reindeer wiggle as he slid down the slope. "Don't act like you're so glad to see me! It won't make me happy!" The wiggling intensified. "Asshole!"

The side of Zoro's lips tugged up in a reluctant smile. Luffy tilted his head back and happily laughed. Sanji slid to a stop in front of the gate, Robin following a second later.

"We saw the flare." Robin's eyes traveled the length of the gate before coming to rest on her. "What happened?"

Sanji threw himself at the gate. "Nami-san! Why are you behind this huge gate?" His gaze flicked to Zoro. "And with the shitty marimo!"

Nami leaned to the side, directing her response at the archaeologist. "We're trapped. This is some kind of labyrinth." Nami looked hopefully at the slope behind Robin. But no other figures were following them down. "Franky and Brook?"

Robin shook her head. "We've yet to find them." When she turned to the gate, she frowned, facing it with a speculative gaze. "Is it infused with kairoseki?"

Nami nodded.

Sanji pressed his face between the bars. The cook drew in a sharp breath. "Nami-san! What happened to you!"

Zoro shifted. "Bounty hunters."

She saw Robin spare a concerned glance in her direction before refocusing on the gate. Meanwhile Sanji's face had begun to flush a deep red. "Bounty hunters!" He turned to Zoro. "Marimo! You didn't protect her!?"

Zoro growled. "There were six of them. Not counting that bastard Kikori."

"Shitty marimo!" Sanji wound his foot back, preparing to pay the gate a devastating blow.

"Sanji! Wait!" Nami cringed, leaning back.

Sanji's twisted in the air, the tip of his dark shoe striking a pillar at its center. But rather than shattering the stone, his foot simply crunched against the wide pillar. Sanji cried out, as he fell back, holding his foot in his hand. Crouched on the ground, the cook peered at the gate through his blond bangs. "What the hell kind of a gate is this?"

With an angry sigh, Nami explained. "If you had just waited a second, I would have told you that _no one_ has been able to break the gate. It's infused with kairoseki particles, so Luffy can't touch it. And Zoro's katanas can't cut it either."

Sanji rose, giving the gate a perplexed stare. "And what did you say you were in? A labyrinth?"

Nami nodded. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Robin climbing the hill beside the cave. The archaeologist was carefully avoiding touching the kairoseki infused stone.

"Robin?"

"Just checking on something."

"Um, Nami?" Nami looked down. Chopper had approached the gate, and was trying to peer inside without touching the stone. "Can you move your ankle closer to the gate? I want to take a look at it. It looks pretty swollen."

Nami scooted forward, carefully pushing her foot up to the gate. Chopper slowly put a hoof through the bars. He looked closely at her swollen ankle as he carefully prodded the bruised skin with his hoof. Nami grimaced and did her best to hold still.

"It's a really bad sprain Nami."

Usopp leaned against the gate. "I shouldn't have left you. I'm so sorry."

Sanji choked. "You _left_ her!?" With an angry shout, he jumped towards Usopp.

The sniper's eyes widened as he scrambled backwards. He screamed as he frantically dodged Sanji's flying kicks. "We had to save Luffy!" Usopp held his hands in front of him as he hopped backwards. "Sanji! Stop! Stop!"

With a sigh, Nami looked away from the chaotic scene. "What can I do for my ankle?"

Chopper was already digging through his pack. "If we had ice, I would put some on it. But since we don't, the best option is to wrap your ankle." He paused. "And elevate it if you are able."

"Okay."

Chopper's hoofs emerged from his bag holding a thick pile of white medical wrappings. He looked nervously at the gate. "Uh, Nami. I don't think I can wrap it through the gate."

Nami leaned forward, pulling the wrappings from his grasp. "I can do it. Just tell me what to do."

Chopper nodded, giving her a small smile. Nami shifted, pulling at the end of the wrappings. She rubbed the thready material as she eyed her swollen ankle. Would it be better to wrap it tightly or leave it looser? She had decided on leaving it loose, when the wrappings were tugged from her. Zoro kneeled beside her, unfurling the bandages with deft hands.

"Zoro?"

He looked up from the white cloth. "I can wrap it."

Chopper peered curiously through the pillars. "You know how?"

He grinned. "What do you think I did when I hurt myself before I met you guys? I'm decent at wrapping injuries." He finished unraveling the wrappings and glanced at her ankle. Without a word, the swordsman scooted forward and carefully lifted her foot onto his lap. Nami started at the sudden contact. He looked up sharply. "Did that hurt?" Mutely, she shook her head. With one hand, he slowly slid the shoe from her foot. "Tell me if it does."

Zoro gently slipped a hand underneath her heel. With his other hand, he began to wrap the bandages around her swollen skin. At her heel, his calloused fingers shifted as he carefully completed a single, circular wrap. As he continued, Nami watched his gaze flicker quickly between the bandages and her ankle. Lips set in a flat line, his eyebrows drew slightly downward in concentration.

Nami let out a slow breath as she watched him work. His movements were remarkably gentle. As she continued watching him, she was vaguely aware of a warmth growing in her chest. With every careful movement, she felt it grow – spreading until it reached her fingers and toes. Nami found her gaze traveling from his fingers, up his arms, and across the contours of his face. He was undoubtedly the same swordsman as before. Nami released another slow breath. But something between them was changing. Nami allowed her gaze to slowly sweep him once more. Blushing, she quickly looked away.

She was no idiot. She knew what all of this meant – the warmth spreading through her, the comfort she had begun to feel in his arms, the blush that she was sure still stained her cheeks. There was a dull pounding in her chest.

She was torn between elation and horror at the feelings she felt brewing for the green-haired swordsman. Elation – because how could something that made her feel like this be bad? And horror – because despite how good it felt, she knew that these kinds of feelings were dangerous. Strong feelings for someone else made you vulnerable. By feeling so much for another person, you inevitably endangered yourself on two fronts. Obviously, you risked the other person hurting you if your feelings went unreciprocated. But there was another danger. If you cared for someone else too much, they would become a part of your own life. Their hopes and dreams inevitably would become tied with your own.

And what about the other person's life? The image of Bell-mere's falling body flashed in her memory. She felt cold. Bell-mere had died rather than let Nami and Nojiko undergo the pain of believing she did not love them. If she opened herself to such feelings, would she one day feel that someone else's life was more important that her own?

Nami swallowed. Despite the risks, she had found early on that she cared about the members of the Straw Hats – a lot. She had endangered herself for them, because she loved them. They had become her family. But this? This was different. Nami watched Zoro's methodical movements. Was she willing to risk that? To trust another person with so much?

"Nami?"

With a start, Nami's eyes flicked up. Her foot and ankle were completely wrapped in white bandages. Her heel still sat in Zoro's palms.

"Feel okay?"

Nami blinked, trying to push her previous thoughts from the forefront of her mind. She wiggled her toes as she shifted her foot. The wrappings were firm around her ankle, but not so tight that they were painful. She only felt a slight twinge of pain when she tried to bend her ankle beyond the limited movement that the bandages allowed.

She cleared her throat. "Yeah. It feels great." She looked up. His eyes were upon her. For a moment, neither moved, each holding the others gaze. Then his eyes flicked down, over the rest of her face. Were her cheeks still flushed? She hoped not. As he lifted her foot from his lap, gently easing it back to the ground, his expression remained blank. And Nami found herself wishing, not for the first time, that the swordsman was easier to read.

Across the gate, Chopper's expression was as animated as ever. "Wow Zoro! I had no idea you were so good at wrapping bandages!" Nami smiled at the reindeer's star struck gaze. Beside her, Zoro shrugged at the compliment.

She gave him her own wry smile. "It is _a bit_ impressive."

At her words, Zoro ducked his head, rubbing a hand over the back of his hair. With his tanned skin it was hard to tell, but it looked like the back of his neck might have turned a bit red. Nami's smile widened. Was Zoro _embarrassed_? He dropped his hand to his side as he lifted his head back up. His face was composed, save for a lone twitch at the corner of his lips. Despite herself, Nami felt an erratic flutter in her chest. As she watched him, she tried hard to remind herself of the dangers that came with such feelings. He blinked, frowning slightly under her focused gaze.

"Nami?"

Robin's sudden exclamation interrupted them both. "It can't be."

* * *

Okay, first of all, I really really hope the discussion about Ronan's abilities wasn't too confusing. I promise that as the story goes on, more will be revealed about Ronan, and his power will become more clear. But if you do have anything you want me to clear up, feel free to ask!

Also, sorry not much action took place this chapter, I had to get some much needed information across and to delve more into Nami's complicated feelings about Zoro. Despite the lack of action, I hope it was enjoyable! Thanks for reading!


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